Shattered images part three
by orchid1982
Summary: This is part three in the series. I guess you could read it as a stand alone, but it would be helpful to read the other parts as well. Now Jack and Sharon's relationship has ended it is time for her to build up a new life for herself. The new case Andy and Sharon work on, forces them to think about feelings neither of them had anticipated.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Here it is the start of a new part in the Shattered images series. I am overwhelmed by all the great reviews I have received and the enthusiasm in anticipation of this new part. I never believed I would get so many readers, who enjoyed this shandy universe I've created as much as I do myself while writing it.**

 **Thank you so much for the many author follows!**

 **I hope you will enjoy reading this part. It is complete, but as you know my RL can get very hectic at times, so there might be a wait for some chapters.**

 **I worked very hard this week to upload this chapter as I had promised, I wrote three articles in two days, just so that I could do the final edit on this chapter.**

 **A big thank you to glistening sun, who did the beta work on these chapters. All mistakes left are mine.**

 **Rated M to be on the safe side, mostly for violence in the crime scenes.**

Chapter one

Sharon was happy the holiday hectic was over. The first week she had spent at the station. Without Andy it had been quite dull, no one to talk to, no one to take her to lunch. Without Andy she avoided the canteen. Cohen and Zygerski were the only ones who talked to her, but both had been wrapped up in a murder case. Without her partner present, her tasks involved paperwork and filing.

Her time outside the station was spent at her parents' house. She had helped her mom plan the children's charity event at the hospital and the Christmas party her parents hosted this year. At least it had managed to take her mind off the turmoil her private life was in.

After she had closed the Landry case she decided to settle things with Jack. She called him once she returned home, left him messages at home and at work. The next day he got back to her with apologies. Something about being in meetings all night. Somehow she didn't care anymore whether he really had been wrapped up in meetings or whether he had been wrapped up in the sheets of a hotel room bed with Meyer's secretary or an intern. His voice had been hopeful. She wondered when that would end. She asked him to come over to pick up his things. He told her he would come over to talk. Talking invariably led to arguing, but she still allowed him to come in, hoping she would finally get through to him. She wondered whether she had. In the end he left with his things, and although he probably hadn't given up hope, the phone calls, flowers and cards stopped. Something she hadn't thought about was the fact that he would never be completely banished from her life. They lived in the same town. They were members of the same social circles. Even at work their paths crossed occasionally.

At least life would return to normal today. Andy returned to work today after spending the last sixteen days in New York with his family. She hoped that he had a wonderful time and managed to spend a lot of it with his children.

Andy had called her on Christmas day to wish her a Merry Christmas. She remembered smiling when hearing his upbeat voice and the sound of children in the background. He had even thought to call her to wish her a Happy New Year. She wondered what nineteen eighty-four would bring. It kind of felt like the old Sharon did not exist anymore. In a way it was scary, but she told herself to focus on the one thing she was sure of, her career.

Andy still suffered from a slight jet lag. He'd spend as much time as possible in New York, much to Sandra's discontent. If it had been up to her he wouldn't have spent any time with the children at all. Sharon had asked a lawyer friend of hers to help him out though. The guy had been great. At first he had been tentative about the idea. He just didn't do well with lawyers. This guy was different though. He pressured Sandra's lawyer for as long as he had to and it hadn't been long. In the end it had been very clear that Sandra had no other choice than to allow the children to spend the holidays with him. He had Sharon to thank for that. One more proof of the amazing woman she was. He had missed her so much. To be away from her for sixteen days, almost unbearable. Forced himself not to call her, although she had been on his mind every single day . Whatever he did, she had always been on his mind. What would Sharon say? What would she think? He would imagine her laugh, quirk her eyebrow, wrinkle them in that adorable way of hers.

When his parents exchanged looks he realized he brought up her name every other sentence. He must have been grinning like a lovesick fool while talking to her on Christmas Day while his siblings burst into laughter behind him. They teased him, tried to pry the details out of him. He had told them they were wrong, Sharon was his partner, his friend. They hadn't believed him. He could not blame them. No matter how often he claimed Sharon was nothing more than his partner and his friend, no matter whether he yelled the words or not, it did not change the fact that he longed for her with every fiber of his being.

A smile curled his face as he stood in the entrance to the murder room. Sharon was sitting behind her desk, a frown formed between her eyebrows, focused on the file she was reading. His eyes scanned her body, wandering over the pink silk blouse buttoned down far enough to see part of that perfect cleavage of hers. It was extremely warm for January. She wore her hair up revealing her slender neck. His eyes travelled down, one black heel beside their desk. Already kicked off her shoes. That made him smile even more. For a moment he was so caught up in seeing her again, realizing she was even more beautiful than her image engraved in his mind, that he missed her looking at him.

"Admiring the stack of paperwork I managed to get rid of for you?"

Her voice startled him. Her smile was like heaven. He loved her wit. He longed to say he was admiring her.

"No welcome back?"

Sharon smiled widely.

"Welcome back, partner."

He felt like hugging her, but he already felt the eyes of Sanders and Dixon burn on his skin, and what would Sharon think about him?

She rose from her chair. What was she doing? Would she come over to him, hug him, welcome him back with a kiss on his cheek?

"Andy?..."

"Hm, what?"

His cheeks flushed a bright red as he so obviously missed whatever she asked him.

"I need to bring these files to the city archive. The least you can do is carry them, since I did all the hard work."

She handed them over to him.

Hug him, kiss him? What had he been thinking? They were colleagues and friends, nothing more and they would never will be.

"Earth to Andy Flynn, again…"

"Sorry jetlag."

"When did you return?"

"Last night. I wanted to be with the kids for as long as I could."

Sharon smiled lovingly. Being with his children did Andy good. Whenever he talked about them he softened up. His ex knew how to hurt him, she didn't play fair in this war between them. Sharon didn't care what Andy had done during their marriage, what he had done to cause them to break up. There was no reason for her to play this dirty.

"Gavin managed to help out then?"

"Yeah, he was amazing. You know Sandra didn't allow me to spend any time with them when I first came over."

The look in Sharon's eyes hardened a bit, forcing herself to remain neutral.

"I feared for something like that. That's why I asked Gavin to contact you."

"I don't know what he said, how he managed to persuade Sandra to allow the children to spend the holidays with me."

"You're their father, that's your right. She didn't have much of a choice. I'm sure Gavin made that perfectly clear to her lawyer. Gavin can be extremely persuasive."

"Is he a friend of Jack's?"

"No, he's my friend. Gavin doesn't like Jack that much. In fact, he send me a card congratulating me on my engagement breaking up."

Andy smiled, he liked the guy's sense of humor.

"Uhm, could you give me his number? I'd like to ask what I owe him."

"You don't owe him anything. I took care of it."

She smiled at him. Gavin did this for her, as a friend, although he'd been very happy with the expensive suit she bought him. She knew the way to Gavin's heart.

"Sharon…"

"Don't worry about it."

She waved his protests away. She was too kind, did more for him than a friend should do.

"It was amazing to see the kids again. I can't believe how much they've grown. They grow up too fast. It hit me hard how much I've missed them."

"And I'm sure they've missed you too."

"It was nice to be together during the holidays. I can't believe we all fit into my parents apartment. My brothers, my sisters, their spouses, their kids. It was like the old days."

"Sounds like a lot of fun."

"It was. Nicole loved that ballerina doll you suggested by the way. She wouldn't let it go anymore."

Sharon remembered Andy's little girl, such an adorable doll.

"Brian terrorized his cousins with his new police car." Andy grinned, proud that his son came after him.

"Just like his daddy." There was a twinkle in her yes. She knew how much Andy loved both of his children and how proud he was of both of them.

"So how were your holidays? You spent them at your parents, right?"

"Yes, my parents hosted a party."

"Sounds like fun."

"It was interesting."

Andy frowned.

"Jack showed up."

"He didn't." Andy looked appalled, the nerve the guy had, showing up at her parents' house during Christmas.

"Was he invited? He wasn't, right?"

"No, well, at least not by my parents. He came with someone who was invited, an associate of his law firm. It was…awkward."

"I can imagine. Did he give you a hard time?"

"I didn't give him much of an opportunity, after an awkward 'hello' I tried my best to avoid him."

She recalled him calling her by her name, his voice had paralyzed her, she stood nailed to the ground. Every muscle in her body instantly tense. She had not expected him to be there. He used the moment of surprise to unnerve her. He knew how to get to her, maybe even found pleasure in it.

The guy was an ass, he could have known she would feel awkward. He had deliberately come just to unnerve her. Andy didn't know what he would have done if she eventually would have end up marrying the guy.

"The children's charity event was very rewarding though. I helped momma plan it. Got my mind off other things."

Andy sighed. "You need to banish Raydor from your thoughts."

"It's hard, because he ends up being there every time I turn."

"You want me to talk to him?"

"Talk?"

Sharon smiled. She knew how that conversation would evolve. They'd communicate with their fists. That would not be good. Andy was right, she would just have to move on, leave Jack where he belonged, in the past.

"I can be civil, Sharon."

"Sure you can, just not with Jack. I'll be fine, Andy."

"Okay."

Smothering her would not solve a damn thing. She had to deal with this on her own and on her own time.

"It's just strange to deal with this new phase in my life. Jack was my first serious boyfriend. I had never been in a long term relationship before him. We were engaged. I've never been with anyone else but him. It's strange to deal with men who are interested."

Without realizing it Andy clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened. The thought of men trying to seduce her was too much to bear. Jealousy engulfing him until he couldn't think clearly anymore.

"Interested?"

"Yes, is that so hard to imagine?"

"No of course not, you're…. …."

The look in her eyes changed from annoyed to surprised as he began to stutter.

He'd been about to say the word gorgeous. He could not tell her he believed she was gorgeous. Dammit Flynn, what did you manage to talk yourself into now? The messes you keep making...

"I'm what, Andy Flynn?"

She looked him straight in the eye, that piercing look of hers taking him hostage.

"The most amazing woman I know."

Her cheeks flushed bright red. She didn't handle compliments well, especially not the unexpected ones.

"We should better deliver these."

While talking they had already arrived in the parking lot. She turned to the files on the backseat of the car, but Andy cupped her chin gently guiding her face towards him. She looked so confused. He had to restrain himself from kissing her.

"Thank you, Sharon…"

Her eyes were killing him, causing this lump to form in his throat.

"For what?"

"Mom told me they didn't send me that ticket to come over… That was you, wasn't it? Because of you I was able to spend Christmas with my children. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Her chest tightened when she saw all the emotions playing in his eyes. She had never seen him like this. This raw in his emotions.

"You're amazing, Sharon Elliot. Thank you for giving me back my children."

He bend over to press a gentle kiss on her forehead, a tear escaped her eye, his warmth and love so overwhelming, moving her to tears.

"I knew how much you missed them."

Her voice wasn't much more than a whisper. He owed so much to her, his job, his health, his life, seeing his children. He had no idea how he was ever going to repay her.

"It was a Christmas gift."

"It was too much."

"No, it wasn't."

"I didn't get you anything."

She pulled back from him locking her eyes with his. Was he truly serious about that? How could he think something like that. Especially after everything that happened over the last year.

"Without you I wouldn't have managed to stay alive until Christmas."

He'd rather not think about her in the trunk of that car. Landry was away, locked up safe and sound, unable to harm Sharon ever again. She hadn't died, but he didn't want to think about how close she had come.

How was this ever going to work? Would he be able to hide his feelings for her? They were so close to the surface, like he had lost all control over them. That's why he had allowed himself to come so close, had allowed himself something as private and loving as a kiss, the touch too gentle and lingering for it to be a friendly kiss, no matter how hard he screamed at himself that it was just that.

But what was the alternative? Letting her go? A transfer? He'd spend the last sixteen days without her and although he'd been very happy surrounded by his family and his children, a part of him had felt empty. Something had been missing. Sharon. He had missed her terribly. He had to make it work out somehow.

He smiled, not breaking eye contact while he lifted his hand from her chin.

"Whoever it will be, Sharon, he will be one lucky bastard."

Her huge smile melted his heart. If only that lucky bastard could be him.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I'm seriously overwhelmed by all of you who have added this story to your alert list already, thank you so much! I'm very happy that there are readers out there who like to follow this story or even me as a writer.**

 **Also a thank you to the guests who have left a review and who I wasn't able to thank yet, I really appreciate it.**

 **Again a big thank you to glisteningsun who has done the beta work on these chapters. All mistakes left are mine. And also to xx-nieno who I often forget. She is my guinnea pig, the one who has to read it first before I even begin to think about posting ;)**

 **Rated M to be on the safe side whenever I describe crime scenes.**

Chapter two

Sandra got her way, the house was sold. He didn't care. The house was too big for him anyway. At night, when he was home alone sitting on the couch memories were haunting him. Brian running through the house with his police cars and fire engines, Nicole sitting on the ground after one of her attempts to walk, smiling up at him with that wide toothless grin of hers.

The house sounded hollow, his voice the only echo in the rooms. Two rooms had been empty for months already, the children's belongings shipped over to New York what seemed like ages ago.

Sandra fought for just about anything. Even that horrible looking vase they got as a wedding present from Sandra's Godmother. She could have it, she could have it all, he didn't care. Her response had been that he could keep the bed. She didn't want to sleep in the same bed he'd shared with his mistress. No matter how many times he told her there was nothing going on between Sharon and him, she would not believe him. In the end it didn't matter anyway. He was about to close the chapter of his life called 'Sandra' forever. She would never believe him and he was done putting energy in that bottomless pit.

He found a small two bedroom apartment near the station. The rent was affordable. The residual debt on their house had to be paid by him, he was the one with a job. Sandra claimed she was unable to work, their children too little. Fact was though, Sandra had never worked a day in her life. He didn't care in the end. He wanted her to be at home with the children. Being a mother was a job. It wasn't worth arguing over anyway. Same for the alimony. She demanded the maximum and he gave her the amount without complaining. Brian and Nicole were his children. It was his duty as a father to take care of them. They shouldn't suffer even more.

With the house sold he brought boxes from the storage locker to the new apartment, but only a few at a time, as he wasn't quite finished cleaning it yet.

Sharon looked at the backseat.

"What's in the boxes?"

"I'm moving."

"Moving? Why?"

"Sandra wanted me to sell the house, probably believed to earn some money out of it, but we still had a substantial mortgage. So the only thing we've got left is a residual debt. She can't pay that off, so it's up to me. I rented a small apartment just a few blocks away from here. It's right in my price range."

"I can lend you the money, you know."

He knew she wouldn't think twice about helping him out. There was no way he would hold out his hand for her money though. He'd rather eat instant noodles for weeks.

"I'm fine."

"Then at least let me help to move you."

Andy smiled. "What? Like cleaning, unpacking boxes…"

Cleaning wasn't her favorite job. He knew she had eventually hired a cleaning lady for her own apartment.

"You'll lend me your cleaning lady then?"

"I can clean, Andy."

"Sure, hon."

"I can. I'll show you. We've got the day off tomorrow, right? I'll come over to your new apartment and help you out. "

He wondered whether that was a good idea, being so close to her without work distracting him. He could hardly deny her though. It had been very nice of her to offer.

"Okay, thank you Sharon."

For a moment he already regretted accepting her help, but it had been done. There was no way back now.

MCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMC

When the doorbell rang, Andy quickly pulled a shirt over his head hurrying to the door. Sharon smiled at him. Her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Officer Elliot reporting for duty, Sir."

Andy laughed stepping aside so she could walk in. He stared at her tight buttocks hugged by the jeans she wore. The most perfect body he'd ever seen. Resisting the urge to tell her how gorgeous she looked, he asked her whether she would like something to drink while trying to ignore her being so close to him, when she followed him to the kitchen.

"Here you go."

"Thanks…"

She wrapped her hands around the coffee mug bringing it to her lips to take a small sip. Her eyes wandered around the room.

"What do you think? Could I make a man cave out of this?"

She choked on her coffee. "You're not serious are you? A what?"

"Just joking to pull you from wherever it was. I know it's not great but I've got a roof over my head and it's something I can afford."

She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable, so she forced a smile telling him she was sure that he'd be able to make something nice out of it.

"Two bedrooms?"

"In case the kids would be coming over. Maybe in a few years when they are older."

Sharon nodded, she wondered though whether Sandra would ever allow them to go. She did everything in her power to keep the children away from him. That's why she had asked Gavin to help him out. She didn't believe it was right to keep them away from their father.

She never got why Andy didn't move to New York. There was something about him being unable to work there. He'd been vague and she got the idea not to pressure him on the subject.

"Were you painting?"

"Yeah, I need to finish that wall before I can start the clean up."

"Okay, just hand me a paintbrush then."

How could he not smile when he looked at her? She looked so eager to start. Although he doubted she knew what she had gotten herself into.

"You ever painted?"

"No, not really, but how hard can it be?"

She shrugged, walked over to the bucket with paint and got into action. His eyebrows wrinkled. He could tell she had never painted a wall before and like this she was messing it up. Andy walked over to stand right behind her covering her hand with his stroke after stroke to show her the rhythm.

She smelled so good, the blossomy scent of her perfume and her shampoo invading his nostrils. In a matter of seconds he was no longer focused on the wall, nor the strokes she was making, but on her neck and the part where it connected with her shoulders.

The most perfect curve he'd ever seen, her skin so smooth. He imagined his lips brushing that part of her body, slowly trailing over it, placing feather-like kisses. Just the thought of it send his blood to parts of his body that could make this very embarrassing. He released her hand as if he had been burned and stepped away from her. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel the bulge in his pants.

"You're a natural."

He rather had her messing up his wall, than for her to be horrified about his reaction to her.

A pinch in his heart as she looked back at him over her shoulder. Sparkles in her eyes. She looked so proud of herself.

"It's nice to try out."

Her parents had made her life easy. Before she moved out there hadn't been a day she'd ever had to clean the dishes or iron her own laundry. When she had moved into her apartment, it had been fully decorated. Her mother and she had picked out the furniture, wallpaper, paint and then hired a few men to do the dirty work and decorate it. Her task had been to oversee the proceedings. It was good to know she was able to do it, when she might have to one day.

"I really appreciate you helping me out. You know not just today, but everything you've done for me."

"That's what friends are for."

"I was a real mess. Nearly cost you your life."

"Are you still attending your AA meetings?"

They hardly ever talked about his drinking problem. There was the shame and the extreme guilt that made it hard for Andy to talk about.

"Yes, it helps to talk, to stay strong. The temptation is very big sometimes." Andy looked down, she could tell he was ashamed to admit that to her. "I can't believe I sometimes have the urge to put the bottle to my lips, especially since I know what it did to you. Just the thought of that should be enough to never have that urge again."

Sharon put down her paintbrush and walked towards him. She touched his elbow to get him to look at her. "It's not healthy for you to continue feeling this guilty."

"How could I not feel guilty?"

"I want you to stop that. It was my decision, Andy."

"If I hadn't been drinking so much, you wouldn't have had to make that decision."

"I acted on instinct. Honestly, I can't tell whether I wouldn't have done the exact same thing if I'd known you were completely sober. I just moved myself forward without thinking about any of the consequences my actions might have."

"If I had been sober I would have seen it coming."

"You don't know that."

"I shouldn't have been drinking."

"No, you shouldn't have. You should have talked to me." Her gaze held his, looking very serious, pained that he hadn't talked to her in the past. "Promise me you'll talk to me whenever something is bothering you?"

She held him captive, her eyes trying to pry into his soul. There were things he'd never be able to talk to her about though. He could not tell her how his feelings for her messed him up. How could he tell her he was in love with her?

"Andy?"

"I will…"

His words were so quick. It was an answer to be able to break her gaze. She knew him too well already. Something was bothering him right now. Andy wouldn't talk to her though. And that stung. She had no idea how to get through to him. Pressuring him would only accomplish the opposite effect. Andy would close up even more. The only option was for her to be patient and let him come to her when he was ready. So Sharon forced a smile feigning that she believed him.

Suddenly there was tension. Andy wasn't able to tell whether she believed him or not. Anyway, this had become an awkward situation. He needed something to break it, to steer them away from the topic of trust. Staring at Sharon he noticed a blob of white paint on her cheek. "You've got some paint there." Without thinking too much about it, he took a cloth, gently wiping her face. The touch made the blood rush through his body again, his heart beating frantically.

"You haven't smeared it all over, have you? Does your shower work already?"

"My shower?" His eyes widened a bit. The words choked out.

"Yeah, you know that small room where you wash yourself."

He was acting like an idiot, just because the word 'shower' send images of her probably perfect naked body to his brain. Those were thoughts he wasn't suppose to have.

"Why?"

His voice more high pitched than usually. A frown appeared between her eyes.

"So I can wash my face, of course. Is there something in there you don't want me to see?" Her eyes lit up with a cheeky smile.

"No, of course not."

He took the bait, although she had just been joking around.

"Uhm, clean towels are already in the cabinet I guess. "

"That way?" She pointed into the direction of the small corridor.

"Yeah first on the left."

He closed his eyes when she walked away. Stupid, so damn stupid. 'What's wrong with you man? Stop reacting like a complete idiot.' Andy looked down; his body had once again reacted in a completely inappropriate manner. What if she would walk out and see him like this? What would she think of him? The thought of her naked in his shower was too strong though. Overbearing. He couldn't help it. Andy could use a real cold shower right now, because he desperately needed to cool off. 'Think about something other than Sharon.'

"There, I believe I managed to get it all off. What's next?"

"Lunch, I don't want to wear you out."

Sharon cocked her eyebrow.

MCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMMCCMMCMCMCM

After painting, cleaning, and emptying out of the boxes they slumped into the couch, both exhausted.

"Are you hungry?"

"I've worked so hard I kind of ignored the rumble in my stomach, I guess."

"So let me cook dinner for you, that's the least I could do for all your help. No protesting."

She giggled. "I wasn't about to. I love your cooking skills."

He loved to see her this carefree. The giggle, all bubbly, the sparkle in her eyes. He blessed his mom for having taught him how to cook.

"Any preferences?"

"No, just cook whatever you like. Would you need my help?"

"You just put your feet up and relax."

Sharon didn't need a lot of convincing to do just that. Using her feet she pushed her shoes off, her hand simultaneously reaching for the elastic keeping her hair in a ponytail.

Andy couldn't help looking over his shoulder. From the open kitchen he had a perfect view of the couch. He saw how her thick auburn hair cascaded down to her shoulders. It was time to focus back on the food if he wanted to get something edible into her.

Sharon laid her head on the pillow slowly closing her eyes. She was beat. How could something like this be so exhausting? Andy's voice was in the distance. Exhaustion took over, her eyelids too heavy to open again, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Deciding to make one of Sharon's favorites, Andy set aside his own dislike for cooking this particular dish. He liked pleasing her. She'd been such a great help today, even though she wasn't as skilled, she had made a real effort. That probably meant even more.

"Sharon, would you like some extra spice?"

When there was no answer he looked over his shoulder. She was lying on the couch. Curious, he walked towards her.

"Sharon?"

His voice was soft. The corners of his mouth curled upwards when he saw that she had fallen asleep on the couch. She looked so serene. He couldn't help stare at her. While she was asleep he was for once able to truly stare at her. She looked so incredibly gorgeous. A certain kind of peace washed over him just by looking at her chest moving up and down. The slow rhythm seemed to almost hypnotize him. Slowly he walked further towards her, bending his knees, sitting down on the edge of the couch. She looked like an angel. At times like this he envied Raydor. How many times had that pompous ass woken up next to her seeing her like this? How many times had Raydor simply watched her sleep? Would he have realized what a lucky bastard he was? Probably not. Raydor wouldn't have worked so much, if he had. He would not have slept with another woman while Sharon had been in that coma. He would have moved heaven and earth to fix their relationship. Andy knew Sharon well enough to know she would have forgiven him for his little fling with that secretary. The break up had been about something else.

Fact was Raydor could not give her what she wanted or needed. Why would he believe he could? Who was he kidding? He would only end up hurting Sharon if she opened up her heart even more to him. She did not deserve that. She didn't deserve being hurt.

Seeing her this peaceful he could hardly imagine it, but she had been hurt. She had been hurt more than once. Not only by Raydor either. There was always some form of vulnerability in her eyes. Her tough act a way to protect herself.

His hand reached out to her. Brushing a strand of hair from her face. Hair like silk, thick, shiny, that rich auburn color he loved so much. Only now did he realize how long her eyelashes were. His fingers gently trailed over her porcelain skin so soft underneath his fingertips.

If she would wake up now he would scare the hell out of her. Still, he couldn't manage to pull himself away from her. It felt too good to touch her. This should not happen. He should not be this close to her. He should probably take as much emotional distance from her as he could. This friendship between them wasn't a good idea. He wouldn't know how to fix this without hurting her. Their friendship was too close already.

Andy smiled as a lazy hum escaped her lips. Sharon equaled a certain perfection. He wondered what was on her mind. Maybe he should carry her over to his bed, so she would be more comfortable.

Her waking up solved that dilemma. The look that met his was confused. Andy tried to look as natural as possible, so he wouldn't creep her out, his mind working overtime to come up with a plausible excuse.

"I asked you something and you didn't answer. You fell asleep."

Sharon blushed, quite embarrassed.

"I'm making us cannelloni, hope you like it."

Her eyes twinkled, a huge smile erupting on her lips.

"I love your cannelloni."

"Good."

Andy supported her arm to help her sit up, resisting a chuckle when he saw her yawn.

"Mmmmm, that smells amazing."

She followed him to the kitchen running a hand through her messy hair curiously looking into his oven.

"I can't believe Sandra gave up all of this."

"I wasn't a dream husband, Sharon."

"But you are an amazing cook."

"I hardly ever cooked."

Surprised she looked at him. Andy cooked for her so often, he used every opportunity he got to pamper her.

"Why not?"

"I didn't like being at home."

"I don't understand."

"Sandra and I grew apart. She didn't understand my job, I didn't understand her frustrations. At some point we simply stopped talking."

"But there must have been a time when you loved each other?"

"We rushed into it all. We were in love and we believed that was all we'd need. We didn't have a solid base."

That had been her luck. Jack and her had grown apart before they had gotten married. That had kept them from ending up in a loveless marriage. They would have only made one another very unhappy. She could tell what an unhappy marriage was doing to Andy. Jack and her had both been spared a lot of heartache.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you so much for all the great reviews and every story follow! It's nice to know people are still enjoying to read this story. The past weeks I've been really busy writing.**

 **A big thank you for the beta work on this chapter goes to glistening sun, mistakes left are all mine :)**

 **Rated M, there will be the discription of a crime scene in this chapter, just so you know.**

Chapter three

Sharon hurried towards the station, she was running late. The line at the dry cleaners had been ridiculously long. Andy already met her halfway when she was rushing in.

"We've got a case, hon."

Sharon stopped and turned to follow Andy out.

"Sorry I'm late."

"Why don't you just buy yourself a washing machine…?"

"I can't put my blazers in a washing machine, Andy." She shook her head. Men didn't understand these things. "If they were open Sundays I wouldn't have to rush on Monday mornings."

Andy smiled, typical Sharon's logic.

"Could you slow your pace a bit?"

"Shouldn't wear those killer high heels, hon."

"The body isn't going anywhere, Andy."

She sounded slightly annoyed, which caused a huge grin to form on his lips. He loved teasing her. He loved the way she wasn't shy and talked back. That's what had appealed to him when he had first been partnered with her. She was neither scared by him nor impressed. That's what had earned her his respect.

"Where are we going?"

"The Asturion."

"The hotel?"

"Hm-mm. Tech is already present. One victim. Female."

"Are they sure it's murder?" Some people chose a hotel for suicide.

Andy looked at her. "She was found in a laundry container."

Someone must have put her there. There was no way she had crawled in there herself to die. Their first murder case of the year. Was it bad she was longing for some action after all those weeks of filing reports and small robbery cases?

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They both looked up at the majestic entrance.

"Ever been here before?"

"No, Jack prefers the Winston. Have you?"

The Winston, of course, that was an expensive place. He wouldn't be able to take her to such an expensive place on his salary. Why did he keep returning to the idea of them being together? They would never be in a relationship.

Sharon squinted her eyes."Wonderful memories, huh?"

Andy was pulled from his thoughts. "What?"

"I asked whether you'd been here Andy and you answered me with silence. Memories?"

"No. I've never been here. Mortgaged up to the hill, remember?"

She hoped he wasn't feeling uncomfortable. She just assumed he could have stayed at the hotel. She never had to think about money. Neither did jack. She must seem like an awful snob to him.

They followed the Tech people, who were swarming around the crime scene like a hive of busy bees. They had to walk all the way to the basement. The woman was still in the laundry container, only her face and part of her shoulder revealed while the rest of her body was covered by white cotton bed sheets. She looked like she was asleep, the lack of blood gave the entire crime scene a surreal look.

Nichols was hanging over the edge so he could have a better look at the body without disturbing any of the surrounding evidence. "Good, you're here."

"Time of death?"

"You know I can only guess as long as they're not on my table."

"Alright, we'll settle for your guess, like always."

"Some point last night, based on the discoloration of her skin and the way rigor has set in."

Sharon put her hand on Andy's arm seeking support to climb up a on box so she could have a better look inside the container and at the body.

"Don't touch anything!"

Sharon chose to ignore the frustrated guy from Tech leading the investigation. Andy looked over his shoulder though, narrowing his eyes.

"This isn't her first crime scene you know."

Sharon looked closely at the body of the woman. The red marks on her throat. She was already bruised up pretty badly. A pair of strong male hands had marked her pale slender neck with red angry marks.

"Strangulation."

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Strangulation never helped them much. Usually no murder weapon they could look for. No proof.

"Any ID?"

"We're not there yet. TD needs to pack every sheet in this container. It will take a while before we'll get to her or learn whether she had a purse with her. I suggest patience."

"Someone take a picture of her face."

Andy didn't like the word patience. He believed it was crucial to start a murder investigation as soon as humanly possible. Nichols looked over at TD. She would let Andy take care of it. Sharon was more interested in what she saw in front of her, marks on the body visible with the naked eye. Strangulation most of the time meant someone was killed in the heat of the moment. Pre-meditated meant different weapons, a gun, a knife, poison. Strangulation meant an act of passion or despair.

"Will you let us know when you begin the autopsy?"

"Of course."

"Sharon?"

She looked over her shoulder at Andy who was holding up a picture. It was time they'd begin to do their job. First assignment, finding out who the victim was and what she was doing at the hotel.

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Andy flashed his badge at the desk clerk, hardly preparing the man for the picture of the dead woman he shoved in front of his eyes. The young man's face turned a light shade of green, Andy warning him not to throw up on him.

"Have you seen this woman? Was she a guest here?"

The man looked queasy.

"You might have checked her in. Yesterday, or some other time." Sharon's voice was more patient, gentle, reassuring.

"I started my shift this morning. I'm sorry."

"That's alright. Are you sure you've never seen her before?"

"I'm sorry."

Andy lost his patience, while Sharon was very understanding, he just couldn't wait for this man to come to his senses.

"I need the name of the guy who worked last night. Telephone number, address, would be helpful too." Andy only spoke in commands when he was being this impatient and clearly frustrated.

"Sure."

While the man searched for everything Andy had asked for, Sharon's mind was elsewhere. If their victim was a guest, then she had been at the hotel alone. If she had been with someone else, they likely would have reported her missing, unless the husband or boyfriend was the one who had killed her. They'd need a name. Without it they could not find out whether she had a husband. Nothing about her social and private life. They'd be searching for a needle in a haystack.

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The guy that had been on desk duty the night before was a bit cranky. Apparently he had only been asleep for a couple of hours. Them ringing his doorbell aroused him from his sleep.

His answers weren't very helpful. No, he had not checked her in and he might have seen her before, but he wasn't sure whether it had been with a man and whether it had been her husband or boyfriend. Or whether it had been her in the first place. He could not help them with a name either.

Paying the man a visit had not helped them much at all.

"So what now? Arouse the bartender from his sleep?"

He could tell she hadn't liked the idea of visiting the desk clerk this early. He should have listened to her earlier. They didn't get very far with a cranky witness. Sometimes it was better to be patient, wait for the right opportunity. Sharon was a lot better at that than he was.

"No, we better wait."

A smile curved her lips. He would have scolded anyone else with such a satisfied smile. Seeing it on Sharon's lips however, made his heart skip a beat. Seeing her smile always warmed his heart. It brought him great joy and happiness.

"I guess we'll start digging through the files, see who's reported missing?"

Andy shook his head.

"No, we'll do lunch. We'll have a better chance returning to the hotel later. Ask that bartender what he knows. "

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Andy was near her, but she was still feeling uncomfortable. She could feel all eyes on her. The room fell silent when she entered. They stared at her without saying a word. Sometimes looks could say more than words though. If she'd been disliked before, a nuisance, they hated her now. They treated her like a pariah, a rat. They blamed her for selling out one of their own. It didn't matter to them that Landry was a dirty cop. Most of them probably didn't even believe the accusations that had been made against him. She didn't feel threatened easily, but when such a large group was against you it was hard not to feel uncomfortable.

Andy squared his shoulders and clenched his fists as the room fell silent. They all stared at Sharon and the looks they were giving her were not pretty. They held her responsible for what had happened with Landry. No one seemed interested in the fact that Landry had been a dirty cop and nearly killed her.

He should not have brought her here. He could only imagine how uncomfortable she felt. He placed his hand on the small of her back, instantly feeling her tense up at his touch.

"Let's go somewhere else, okay?"

She looked up at him. He had never seen her this determined.

"No, I'm not going anywhere."

She hadn't done anything wrong. If she gave into this now, she might as well just quit her job and that wasn't something she was planning to do.

Sharon got herself a salad, shaking her head at the greasy substance Andy opted for instead. She could tell he restrained himself not to yell at anyone for treating her so horribly. His muscles clearly visible underneath his shirt, but he tried to keep his frustration from her.

"Are you sure you want to sit here with me? You'll lose credit."

"They're all insane. They should give you a medal for what you did."

A sad smile appeared on her lips, now it seemed as if Andy was her only friend at the station.

"None of them threatened you, did they? Landry's got a lot of friends around here."

Some of them had cornered her, closed doors in front of her, made nasty remarks. There was no way she would tell Andy though. He would have IA on his back in no time.

"No..."

Andy stared at her. She was a terrible liar. Her eyes were always telling on her, and the slight blush that covered her cheeks.

"Who?"

He had caught her on her lie. She could tell he was already irritated, ready to punch his fist into anyone who hurt her.

"It's not that bad."

She rubbed her forehead, avoiding his eyes. Last thing she'd want was for him to blow up.

As soon as she avoided his eyes, he knew her answer was only what she was trying to make him believe. It had been bad. The thought that they were giving her a hard time infuriated him. No one was supposed to hurt her. He had no idea whether talking about this would help her. He knew he got angry, frustrated. He could punch someone in the face right now, but would that really help her? By now he had learned that Sharon liked to simply change subjects, shut things out. Everything inside of him screamed to punch someone in the face though. He had to act on his anger. Andy reached out for her, his fingers gently touching her chin, making her look up at him. All his anger washed away when he saw the vulnerability in her eyes. There was no way he could add to that pain.

Andy just stared at her. There was no longer any anger in his eyes - only pain. He was hurting for her. She knew he did not believe her. He saw how much it affected her and somehow that was enough for him to let go of his anger.

"I'll be fine."

That was something he would believe. No matter what came her way, she would deal with it.

"I know."

Just as long as she knew he was there for her in case she needed him. For a moment they kept their eyes locked on each other, before Andy pulled back his hand.

"You know you should stop eating that greasy stuff."

There, that was his Sharon alright, changing the subject in a heartbeat, putting the focus on him. Andy looked at her and then at his plate. He wouldn't know what was wrong with it. He had no idea how she could function all day on a lunch of that green stuff on her plate.

"I need fuel for my body, hon."

"You're going to get high cholesterol, that's what you'll get."

"I'm Italian."

He grinned, his eyes twinkling.

"Partly Italian…and that does not mean you won't get high cholesterol."

"I feel fine."

"I want you to reach old age Andy Flynn."

"You know how dangerous this profession is, hon."

"Stop, don't even joke about that."

Sharon looked at him seriously, fear in her eyes. She cared a lot about him. He hadn't quite realized just how much until now.

"Hey, I'm not planning on dying, okay? You're stuck with me."

"Sounds good to me."

Andy smiled at her, his fingers brief brushing her hand. He didn't care about the looks the others were giving them. He didn't care much about the opinion of anyone but Sharon. She was his partner, his friend and he loved her. No matter what would happen, he would always love her.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: A big thank you to all of you who are following this story, marked it as a favorite or even follow me as an author. I'm still amazed each time I see one of those alerts in my inbox. I really appreciate it, especially as you all have to be so patient. Updating this frequent is just not working out.**

 **I'd like to thank glistening sun again for all the great beta work!**

 **All mistakes left are mine, rated M to be on the safe side.**

Chapter four

They were back at the hotel desperately needing some answers. Finding out the woman's identity could help steer them into the direction of her killer, or maybe towards the motive. The hotel manager told them that the bartender who had been on duty the night before would be available for questioning.

Andy walked at a brisk pace behind her. His eyes kept wandering to her toned calves. No matter how conservatively Sharon dressed, she always looked extremely hot to him. Andy liked seeing her lean legs revealed by her skirt. He was still engrossed in paying attention to her legs, when he heard Sharon identify herself to the bartender.

"And this is Detective Flynn, we'd like to ask you a few questions."

Her voice was gentle, she smiled at the man. A polite smile, the kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes. The smile she used to make people more comfortable around her creating a false sense of security. She was very good at that.

"We wondered if this woman looks familiar to you? I'm sorry the picture is quite graphic."

"Yes, she was in here last night. I have seen her on a few occasions before that."

"Is she a guest here at the hotel?"

"No, I don't think she is. At least not the paying kind."

Sharon didn't seem to understand. Andy got the idea though.

"Was she here with a regular?"

"Her husband?"

"Probably someone's husband, yes."

Sharon looked confused at Andy, who seemed to be on the same page as the bartender.

"One of her regulars?"

"I believe he's gone up with her before."

"Did you see her return?"

"No, I guess it was an all nighter."

"Has that happened before?"

"Yes, I often noticed that she didn't return that same evening. But she was always back the day after, looking for someone else who'd pay her drinks and more."

"Don't you have a 'no hooker' policy?"

This wasn't the Winston, but it wasn't some crappy hotel either. He could feel Sharon's eyes burn at him. She wasn't out there the way he was.

"She didn't look like one from the streets. She never came onto the men. They always approached her. There was never any money exchanged here. So what can we do?"

"Any idea whether she worked on her own?"

"Never saw a pimp, but I guess that's no guarantee."

"No I guess not. Any idea what she called herself?"

"No. She wasn't one for small talk."

"Name of the guy who went up with her?"

"Sorry…"

"We can get a court order."

Sharon had no patience at all, and no understanding for privacy policies, not when someone had been murdered. Suddenly her understanding smile disappeared and changed into a hard stare instead.

"Mr. Mitchell. He's a regular customer here. I didn't give you his name, okay? He's a big tipper."

Sharon sighed.

"Alright, then let's see if Mr. Mitchell is still a guest here."

They walked through the corridor.

"This wasn't just any hooker."

"Not a street hooker. Probably one of those call girls."

Sharon looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

"They're not the same, Sharon. Call girls don't walk the streets. Sometimes they're just paid to keep someone company."

"You definitely know an awful lot about that."

Andy frowned, confused. There had been an edge to her voice. Now what was that all about? Was it irritation? He was struck by her reaction, unable to say anything back in return.

The door of the hotel room was standing open, cleaning utensils in the doorway. The presence of the maid told them that their guest had already left. Andy cursed himself. They should have done this yesterday. The woman could have been killed in this room. The maid might have already cleaned away part of their evidence.

"We don't know whether she was killed here."

"And now we'Ll probably never know "

Sharon looked around noticing the surveillance camera in the corner of the hallway.

"Yes, we will."

"Hm?"

Sharon grinned widely pointing into the direction of the camera.

"I hope that thing worked."

"Only one way to find out."

Sharon was right. There wasn't anything they could do in the room anyway.

Andy's eyes wandered over to Sharon. Mesmerized he looked at how her toes kept rubbing her calf. She had kicked off her shoes the moment she sat down on the chair. The slow rhythm was very distracting, causing his mind to wander off yet again. What would it be like to allow his fingers to trail over that flawless porcelain skin? What would it be like for her to feel his touch? Would it be tantalizing? Would she moan? The mere thought of it caused sweat to form on his forehead, his face felt flushed.

Sharon briefly looked over at Andy. He was so quiet and his face flushed.

"Is it too hot for you?"

Andy stared at her. He saw her lips moving, but it took a few seconds before her words registered. Hot. Yeah, she looked so damn hot.

"Andy?"

"Yeah, it's a bit hot in here."

He ran his hand through his hair, trying to banish the thoughts about her from his mind. Instead he fixed his eyes on the screen featuring the grainy security footage.

"That's taking ages."

Andy pressed the button to fast forward. Somehow being with Sharon in this small room was testing him. He was in need of fresh air, in this closet of a room she seemed to be all around him. His nostrils filled with her scent. Not only her perfume, her shampoo, it was the smell of her body that quickened his pulse. This time there was no window to roll down.

"W w wait, stop… by that time, our Jane Doe was already dead."

"You're right… and Mr. Mitchell did not return to his room."

"Might be a reason for that."

"Puts him right on top of the list. Let's see if we can find him elsewhere on the tapes. "

"We better start with the tape from the hallway, see where they're heading."

"Good thinking."

He was rewarded with a smile. Andy could not stop looking at her. He could stare at her for hours and never get bored. A small smile curled his lips, while he watched her taking notes on her notepad. She was the best thing that ever happened to him.

"Looks like he is more than willing to go up with her… and she doesn't seem constrained in any way… wait a minute, that's her room. Didn't the bartender say she didn't rent a room?"

"Hm-mm. We better check in whose name that room was booked."

"Doubt that was a real name."

Andy sighed. It would take ages before they'd find out this young woman's name.

"He leaves and without our victim. She didn't get into that laundry container herself."

"He could have come back for her."

"She wasn't dead when he left, look there she is."

Andy frowned.

"She's entering the room next to hers…."

Sharon was just as confused as he was.

"Who's that guy? Another client?""

"They're arguing."

They looked at the man and woman on the screen. They were both agitated, the guy grabbed her arm, but she pulled herself free.

"Guess someone else just reached the top position on our list of suspects."

The only thing they would have to do now was figure out who she'd been arguing with.

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The hotel register didn't help. It wasn't much of a surprise. This case seemed like a swamp, dragging them in, swallowing them hole. The echo of Sharon's heels sounded hard against the basements walls. They were on their way to Nichols. Normally the coroner's report could be a break through, but this time it seemed like they already knew all the facts. The woman had been strangled. An exact time of dead wouldn't help them much at this time either. They needed something, so they could give the girl a name and Nichols wasn't a miracle worker.

"There you are…"

"Sorry, we were caught up watching security footage."

"Did you learn anything?"

"We have an unnamed suspect."

"Sorry, I won't be able to help you out much either. The young lady didn't give me a whole lot of answers."

"So she was strangled."

"Murder weapon: a strong pair of hands."

"Rage."

"They were arguing."

"There are a couple of bruises. I can't tell whether they happened during a struggle or…"

"Or?"

"She had rough sex. Some guys like it rough."

"That doesn't give us much either."

"Did she resist? Scratch the guy maybe?"

"Found some dried blood underneath her fingernails. Might as well be from her customer. This happened fast. Whoever killed her used a large amount of force. Broke her larynx."

Sharon shook her head. She couldn't understand people losing themselves in rage.

"Any help on who she was?"

"I'm sorry."

Both Andy and Sharon stared at the naked body on the table. If only she could talk, tell them her name, tell them what happened, so they could catch her murderer.

"I wish I could tell you more."

Sharon walked closer to the dead woman. She looked like an average girl without the low cut dress and the bold red lipstick. She looked like she received a good upbringing. Healthy skin without any scars, hair healthy from root to tips, the skin of her hands soft, nails well manicured.

"How old is she?"

"Roundabout your age, lovely lady."

"She doesn't look like a girl who grew up in the bad parts of Los Angeles.. So why isn't she enrolled in a good university, instead of sitting in bars, picking up men?"

"Could be our answer."

Sharon looked at Andy.

"Her family could be looking for her."

Right now that was the only thing they could hope for as they had no leads whatsoever. Missing persons reports would once again be invading their workspace. They hoped someone had already been missing this young woman for some time now.

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Outside dusk fell. By now they were the only ones left. Hamilton had left thirty minutes ago, telling them not to make it too late a night. Although unspoken, both of them seemed to agree they wouldn't leave there until they had found at least one clue.

She couldn't believe how many pretty young blonde women were reported missing. How many families were in agony every day, wondering what had happened to their daughters or sisters? Would they find some form of relief when they would finally learn what had happened to their loved one? Even if that would mean finding out their loved one had died? She only knew that if they would find out the identity of the young woman tonight, they would have to bring someone the bad news. Devastated eyes would torment her before she fell asleep. It was like that with each case and it would last until they had wrapped it up. Giving the family the answers they needed to begin the process of grieving was the only thing that banished those devastated eyes from her mind.

They really had no idea. This woman could have been reported missing weeks or months ago or maybe not at all, not yet. They could work through these large stacks of files and still wouldn't find anything.

Seeing one blonde woman after another they all started looking alike to him. He pinched the skin between his eyebrows trying to relax his eyes for a moment before he looked up at Sharon. They had been quiet in their search. Sharon had quickly eaten a salad taking bites in between opening files, but that had been it. Worried, he now looked over at her catching her rubbing her neck with her hand.

He wasn't thinking with his mind when he got up from his chair. He made the six steps around both their desks, stopping behind her. Sharon didn't even notice, her mind buried in her task, not until his fingers touched her hand. Her eyes met his.

"Painful neck?"

"Mhm."

"Let me try…My eyes need a rest anyway…"

Was he actually doing this? Was he about to give her a massage? He shouldn't be anywhere with his hands near her and definitely not on her. What was he thinking? He hadn't been thinking, that's what had gotten him in this mess. He couldn't back down now. 'Be gentle,' he kept telling himself, 'she'll notice when you're tense.'

His hands were warm, lightly stroking her skin before his fingers squeezed her shoulders kneading them gently with a slow pace. Her shoulders fell down, relaxed. She closed her eyes ,as she felt the tension flow from her body. Andy's touch was like magic.

Andy focused on her, while he rubbed her shoulders. He couldn't imagine how tight her muscles were. He wondered what that was about. Wasn't she sleeping well at night? Could something be troubling her? Was it the job? Was it Raydor? Suddenly it felt good to knead away whatever troubles she had. A smile formed on his lips when he saw her tilt her head to the left. He could swear she had closed her eyes. She seemed to be enjoying this, his hands on her skin, the tender movements he made.

'No, Flynn, you cannot think like this.'

When her head slightly fell backwards he couldn't keep his mind rational anymore. He saw her face, he saw her visibly enjoying his ministrations. Should he want this? His heart screamed at him. For how long had he fantasized about being in a situation like this? But no matter how loud his heart screamed it was overpowered by the rational words which came from his mind. He could not think about her like this. It would never happen. It couldn't. It probably even shouldn't. They were partners, they were friends. There was no room to throw these complex feelings into the mix.

As soon as he had reached that conclusion his hands released her shoulders. He saw her surprise at his sudden release. Another matter he didn't want to think about.

"Your muscles felt like one big knot." Concern seeped into his voice.

"I haven't slept well last night."

"Something troubling you?"

"I don't know… the case maybe... I just kept tossing and turning."

He could hear by her intonation she wanted to change the subject, uncomfortable somehow in talking to him about this.

"I know, that sometimes happens. Comes with the job."

A sad smile formed on her lips. He knew what it was like. He was a cop just like her. Jack hadn't known, he hadn't been very understanding either, sometimes even irritated. He would leave the bed frustrated when he couldn't get any sleep with her tossing and turning next to him. She wondered whether it had been the same for Andy during his marriage to Sandra. Had she understood? Could anyone who wasn't actually a cop understand? She knew why she felt such a close friendship with Andy. He _always_ understood.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thank you for still reading this story and for the wonderful reviews. I really enjoy reading what you think about my story. Also a big thank you to the new story followers!**

 **Thank you glistening sun for being a wonderful beta. All mistakes left are mine.**

 **rated M.**

Chapter five

They had called it a night the other day. Sharon had insisted on working through the last of the files. She was a die hard. That was one of the things he had admired in her when she had still been his rookie. The urge not to give up, no matter how tired she was, no matter whether the crime scene was a dumping ground and she was wearing her high heels and her pencil skirt. That's what had earned her his initial respect, and that respect had only grown.

"Hi…" she greeted him with a warm and loving smile, a twinkle in her emerald eyes. They seemed to light up as she looked at him. Her smile, too, seemed more heartfelt now that she looked at him - or were that just his feelings for her making his imagination run wild?

Andy's massage last night had done her good, his warm, strong hands on her shoulders kneading away all the tension. He had a nice touch. It all had come so naturally, so easily. No time to overthink the gesture. It was nice to have someone genuinely care for her, knowing what she needed without asking her difficult questions. It was nice that Andy simply seemed to understand.

"Anything new?"

"Just came in myself."

Andy sighed. He had no idea what they should do next. Find Mitchell, question him? He doubted the woman used her own name, even if he was a regular. Not doing anything was out of option as well. They had hit a big brick wall.

Sharon handed him a cup of coffee. His fingers brief brushed hers, their eyes meeting for a friction of a second. They gazed at one another unsure of what the other was thinking or feeling.

What was Andy looking at? What was that look in his eyes? Had he always looked at her like that? So much love and kindness. She felt her cheeks flush. The other guys would never let her hear the end of it if they caught her blushing. She couldn't even blame them. It was ridiculous to blush like some schoolgirl simply because a man looked at her.

"Flynn."

The gaze broke and so did the moment.

"Got someone here for you."

The young woman looked a bit insecure, visibly relieved when Sharon was the first to approach her.

"Hello…. I'm Officer Elliot.. This is my partner, Detective Flynn. "

"Carmen Dacosta"

Andy tried his best smile so as not to scare the young woman off. She already seemed tentative enough. He knew why she had came when he registered the shock on her face. Her eyes had caught the picture on the murder board. He silently cursed the moron who directed her here without warning.

"Oh my God...oh my…" Her voice broke. Sharon caught her, instinctively bringing her to one of the interrogation rooms while whispering soothing words. A woman's touch is what the men called it, usually not a compliment. He was the first one to admit he wasn't good at these things. He relied on Sharon's tact, gave her the lead, stayed in the background because he trusted her to handle these situations.

Sharon rubbed her back, handing her a glass of water. The silence was agony for Andy, he didn't have the patience.

"This can't be…This can't…I…"

"Easy… try taking deep breaths. There you go."

"I was worried... She stayed away at night sometimes, but never longer."

"Can you tell us her name?"

"Andrea, Andrea Bockston."

"Was she your friend?"

"She was my roommate. We're both in med school. She missed an important exam. That's not at all like Andrea."

"Was she a good student?"

"Yes, Andrea did everything to achieve her goals. She wanted to become a surgeon and show her father she was more than just a pretty face."

"Was she at odds with her father?"

"Andrea had…had a strong mind. Her father somewhat old-fashioned. If you ask me they were both just stubborn."

"What's her father's name?"

"Adrian Bockston. Andrea last spoke with him a couple of months ago. He appeared at our apartment."

"Did they argue?"

She shrugged. "The usual, he wanted her to come home and stop being difficult and left all worked up telling her he'd talk to her once she'd calmed down, which only made Andrea more angry. It ended with her walking to the balcony and tearing up the check he left her."

"Check?"

"I thought it was stupid, but Andrea refused to take any money from her father, not even to pay for her tuition. She wanted to do it all by her own means."

"Do you know how she paid her tuition if she wouldn't take her father's money?"

The young woman looked down, avoiding their eyes.

"This guy called her when he could use her…"

"Use her for what?"

"Andrea was always very laconical about it. Said she would just have to keep a guy company for a little while, share a few drinks, earn herself a few hundred."

Andy whistled, a few hundred for keeping a guy company … Sharon shot him an angry look.

"Andrea tried to persuade me once to take over on the nights she couldn't do the job for Mario, but that sort of thing is nothing for me and I'm afraid my dad would kill me."

"Does Mario have a last name?"

The young woman shook her head. It didn't matter, Mario probably wasn't his real name anyway.

"Do you know how Andrea met Mario?"

"I guess she met him in a bar once. He approached her. They came to some sort of understanding. Andrea didn't see any harm in it. Just a way to easy money. The perfect way to get her through med school."

"Did she ever tell you about arguments with Mario, or with another customer?"

"No. Andrea was strong, she never did anything she didn't want to do. When she left it was like any other evening… and now…"

"Do you have Mario's phone number? Do you know where Andrea kept it?"

"She never called him, he always called her."

Sharon smiled tight-lipped.

"If anything else comes to mind please call us." Carmen nodded and Sharon walked her out.

Andy remained behind. Now they would have to find a guy named Mario. He had no idea how and he didn't know whether finding him alone would solve this murder case. There wasn't any evidence that tied him to her death.

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Andy sat down on his chair, legs crossed at the ankles. He focused on a stain on the floor. Hamilton wanted to be briefed. There wasn't much they could tell him. All they had were dead ends.

"She was killed in that hotel."

"There was no blood, so we don't know exactly where she was killed."

"Her customer?"

"She was still alive when he left the hotel."

"So we can take him off the list?"

"Maybe."

"Alright what about this 'Mario' guy? Is that his real name?"

"We don't know. We've got nothing on him other than the name and that could be fake. No number, no last name, no address."

"So no way of finding him?"

Sharon wanted to reply, but Andy was first.

"No, we've only found dead ends here. We don't even know how to find this guy."

"I think we should go to several hotel bars."

Andy raised his eyebrow.

"I don't think he would come over to talk to us or even stay once we enter. I'm sure he will try to avoid cops."

"Carmen told us Mario approached Andrea in a hotel bar."

"Yeah, so? She was an attractive young woman. I don't believe he's interested in approaching men."

"I wasn't talking about you guys, waiting for him at the bar."

Andy's eyes focused, he immediately sat up straight in his chair.

Sharon could tell by Andy's body language alone that he was going to be against this. They locked eyes for a moment. She stared him down sending a silent message that she would fight for this. He wouldn't let go off her eyes either. He would not back down easily. He shook his head.

"You're not going to talk to that guy alone in some bar."

Hamilton frowned at the silent conversation that had obviously just happened between the two of them: staring each other down, the way their eyes seemed to have talked to noone but each other.

"This guy won't just talk to the police. We need someone on the inside."

"And that someone is not going to be you."

"Do you see another woman inside of this room, Andy?"

Frustrated with her he walked away, away from her gaze, away from those piercing green eyes. Pacing in front of their desks he tried to get rid of some of his frustration.

"Commander, he'll be more likely to talk to a woman. He lost one of his girls, he'll need a replacement."

Sanders choked in his coffee and Dixon snorted. The idea of Little Miss Conservative trying to pass herself off as a call girl was utterly laughable. Who would buy that?

"I'm the only one who would be able to do it."

"I don't believe he's looking for the librarian type, Elliot."

Sharon pressed her lips into a tight line, her eyes shooting daggers at Dixon.

"I'm the only woman around here."

"Stop talking, it's not going to happen."

Andy gazed at her intently trying to let her know that he would not back off.

Hamilton raised his eyebrow. Had somebody promoted Andy all of a sudden? His words sounded so final. To a certain extent he was inclined to agree with Dixon. Sharon Elliot was kind of conservative. She had a pretty face, but she wasn't exactly screaming the word 'call girl'.

"We're at a dead end, we need a breakthrough."

"You putting yourself up as bait is not going to solve anything. It's dangerous."

"It's the only chance we've got."

Andy shook his head pacing even faster, his face taking on an angry red hue.

"It's not happening."

"Commander?"

Sharon ignored Andy and addressed the Commander directly. He might be persuaded to agree with her logic.

Hamilton took deep breaths. She was right, they were at a dead end and for now, this was the only chance they had. He could tell by Andy's reaction that Sharon was right. Andy was this angry because he felt cornered. There wasn't any other option and he knew it.

"Are you sure?"

Andy's head spun towards him, eyes narrowed in disbelief. "You can't be serious! This guy was the girl's pimp, he might have gotten rid of her, he's on the top of our suspect list.. and you want her to be his next intended victim? Send her to this guy all alone?"

"She won't be alone. One of you will always be in the room with her."

"You're setting her up to be a fucking call girl! What do you think will happen when he finds her a customer?"

Hamilton observed Andy's outburst calmly. The younger man was beside himself and he had never seen him like this. Even Sharon seemed shocked by her partner's reaction.

"Relax Flynn, there won't be any customers."

"Don't you believe this guy will find it odd when she refuses to go up to a room with someone?"

"She'll have customers, just not real ones. You guys will be her customers."

Sanders and Dixon both choked on their coffee this time earning them an angry look from Hamilton.

"As soon as this guy takes the bait, one of you will be buying her drinks all evening."

Hamilton looked serious when he turned towards Sharon. "You'll make it clear to him that you'll only do the keeping company part, nothing more, we don't need strange customers."

Sharon gave him a quick nod. To be honest, she hadn't thought about the customer part of the role of call girl. She hadn't thought much about whether she'd be able to pull it off. She wasn't easy going with men. In fact, she was very shy and Jack had been her only serious partner. She dressed conservatively because she didn't want to draw attention to herself, especially not at work. Being taken seriously was her first goal. She wanted people looking at her to see a police officer and not a sex object.

All of a sudden anxiety set in. The idea that those guys would have to play her customers - that would be so uncomfortable. She really hoped Andy would play her first customer, he was her partner after all. Right now, he seemed so frustrated, but surely he would come around, right? For now she would first have to get changed, get into this role.

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Sharon felt her stomach turn when she entered the elevator at the station. It had taken her a while to find the right dress. One that had been in the back of her closet. The cleavage had never quite worked for hospital fundraisers or one of her parents' dinner parties. In the end she hadn't found it suitable for Jack's corporate events either, but for this occasion it might just work. She had looked at herself in the mirror at least a dozen times before deciding this would be the dress. If the guy took the bait she would have to buy a few more outfits.

Sharon took a deep breath while staring at herself in the elevator mirror. She had been bolder with her make- up. Bright coral lips, an extra layer of mascara, bolder, but not trashy. Andrea had looked classy to a certain degree. This guy had chosen her and she wanted him to be drawn to her as well.

She fluffed her hair one more time. She had curled it a bit to give it more body. For a moment she had considered putting it up, but then decided to just let it fall freely over her shoulders.

It would have to do. Her stomach turned at the thought of Sanders' and Dixon's reactions. They made her feel so insecure. For a moment she wasn't sure of Andy's support either. He had been so frustrated before. He didn't like her plan at all. She couldn't blame him either. It wasn't that he doubted her lack of ability, he was just worried about her safety. She couldn't hold that against him.

Taking a deep breath she walked out of the elevator and heading to the murder room at a fast pace. She had better be ready. Cohen dropped his pen when she saw her walk in, his mouth hanging ajar, gazing at her in such a way that Zygerski turned around curiously. Guess she had managed not to look like an uptight librarian. At this point the reaction of Sanders and Dixon was no longer important. She looked at Andy trying to read him. He was still irritated. He didn't even look up from the papers on his desk, a deep frown still between his eyebrows. She had never seen him this frustrated with her. Not even in the beginning of their partnership. It wasn't like they never argued, quite the contrary, but their arguments never lasted long. The total silence from his part gave her an uneasy feeling.

Hamilton stood in the doorway of his office staring at Elliot, who had just walked in. He had definitely never seen her like this. Cohen and Zygerski couldn't keep their eyes off her and it was hard for him to think of her as one of his officers now. Flynn hadn't looked up yet. He was still frustrated, he definitely would not send him with Elliot to the hotel bar. He had known Flynn for long enough to be sure that he would go against orders. He would blow this operation if he felt he was right about this, about keeping his partner safe. He would not give a damn about the consequences it would have for his own career. Flynn was a great cop, but in the end he would not be controlled by his superiors. He wouldn't send Flynn with her, that would be like sending her into this operation with a ticking time bomb.

"Well done, Elliot…"

She smiled still looking a little insecure, but he knew she would be fine.

"Dixon, you're going with her. Stay within a safe distance."

For a moment Sharon looked confused, because of his choice of Dixon. She looked over at Andy when she couldn't hear any words of protest from him. She had figured he would say something. Instead he didn't even look up from his papers. Sharon felt a strange ache in her heart, sadness, loss. He was her friend, her rock, she could always count on his support. It hurt immensely that he wouldn't even look at her now. She felt tears stinging in her eyes, but she didn't have the luxury to cry. Still she couldn't shake the feeling of being so alone.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I'm overwhelmed by all the lovely reviews and new story follows! It got me so excited that I couldn't wait to update this story. I hope you will all like it as much as the previous on**

 **Thank you glisteningsun for doing the beta work. All mistakes left are mine ;)**

 **rated M**

Chapter six

Andy was staring out of the window. The sky was dark, but every building seemed lit up like a Christmas tree. Somewhere out there Sharon was putting herself up as bait for a guy who had probably killed another young woman. A large knot formed in his stomach. She was out there alone, with no one to protect her but Dixon. That guy was an absolute idiot. He had already fucked up protecting her once. It was safe to say the guy did not like her. Before he left the station he had grabbed Dixon's arm pulling him aside and told him he better keep Sharon safe, because if anything were happen to her he would hold him accountable. He had better listen to him. Andy knew he likely wouldn't be able to control himself if anything happened to Sharon.

There was no doubt in his mind that Sharon was tough, tougher than anyone would suspect, but she wasn't invincible either. Maybe it was her upbringing. Sharon's parents had protected her from the big bad world while she was growing up. If she let them, they probably still would. In a way she had led a very sheltered life before joining the LAPD.

He on the other hand had grown up on the streets of New York, had seen so many things before even turning fifteen. Things Sharon hadn't even been introduced to until she started her career as a police officer. She could be a bit naïve in her understanding of the world.

How she was going to pull off being a call girl he could not know. The only man she had ever been with was Raydor. That didn't make her very experienced with men. He remembered how easily she blushed, she was such a shy young woman. What had Hamilton been thinking exposing her like this? He sighed. What had he been thinking reacting the way he did? He knew Hamilton had partnered her up with Dixon because of his own reaction. He probably hadn't want to risk him messing up their plan to get Sharon on the inside. If he hadn't he could be there with her now and personally ensure she was protected. Instead, all he could do was stare out of the window wondering where she was, praying she was safe.

Sharon was somewhat reluctant. What if somebody recognized her and blew her cover? The last thing she needed was to run into one of her father's colleagues or one of Jack's for that matter. Thinking about it gave her a serious headache. It made her nervous.

Dixon partnering up with her wasn't very helpful either. She didn't feel at ease with him. She didn't trust him to keep her safe and watch her back. She couldn't talk to him either. He would only make fun of her if she spoke about her doubts. She didn't trust anyone the way she trusted Andy. He wasn't with her though. He had been so angry. So was she doing the wrong thing? He was a great cop, he had a lot of experience. If he believed this was dangerous, shouldn't she have listened to him? Well, there wasn't anything she could do now. She had no choice but to enter the hotel - Dixon was already sitting at the bar.

A brief smile curled her lips, while she handed the taxi driver a tip. Driving in her own car was out of question. If Mario saw her in it, her cover would be blown before she had even started.

She tried to be as confident as possible. She was a police officer, she was here to do her job. Her eyes scanned the room for Mario. He could be anyone. Carmen had never seen the man, so she couldn't give any description. He could have been any guy at those security tapes. They saw Andrea arguing with a guy, but they didn't know who it was. It could be Mario or an entirely different guy for that matter.

She didn't notice anyone who might be the guy she was looking for. She saw Dixon, he seemed to be amusing himself with a beautiful young woman. Great. Seemed like she was on her own then. Well she hadn't expected anything different. So what next? She wasn't good at the wait and see aspect of this assignment. It only made her more nervous. This could go wrong in so many ways. What if Mario wasn't interested in her? What if he had already found himself a replacement? What if they wouldn't even find him?

Sharon longed for something strong to calm her nerves, but drinking wasn't a good idea. If this guy came up to her, he would probably offer her something to drink. She didn't need to be halfway drunk already. She needed a clear mind.

Would they spend the entire evening here? Or should they decide to move to a different hotel? She was not sure, insecure about how to approach this. Once again she longed for Andy. He always made her feel secure, encouraged her and now she felt like she was on her own. A weight on her shoulders. If she didn't manage to pull this off she would hear it until the end of days. They would believe they had been right all along: that she wasn't up for the job.

Dixon stared at Sharon. She didn't look nervous. Her face a perfect porcelain mask. He grimaced, rubbing his upper arm, it still hurt. Flynn was a damn hothead, explosive even. The guy had grabbed his arm.

'One minute. You listen very carefully, Dixon. You better watch out for her. If anything happens to her you'll have to answer to me. Understood?!'

What had gotten into the guy? Did he himself believe that Elliot wasn't up to the job? Flynn had been against it loud and clear. For once they had been on the same page. Still, the warning. Why? What was so damn special about Elliot? Alright, she had a pretty face. He had to acknowledge that while she was dressed up the way she was now. She changed 180 degrees. The things a change in clothes could do for a person. She had a great cleavage, he wouldn't know why she always kept that hidden from the world with those blouses of hers. The bounce in her hair made her look more feminine. The buns did those gorgeous auburn locks no justice. Why did she always chose to look like an uptight librarian? A lot of the guys would be a lot more friendly to her if she looked like this all the time. Or maybe not. Her eyes of steel captured his gaze. They send him reeling no matter how hot she looked now. That's what they didn't like about her, that and her impossible character. Little Miss Know It All. They didn't get at all why Flynn of all people could get along with her so well. Flynn was difficult, stubborn, a hothead, he hated authority. How could he not clash with her? Maybe she joined him in the sack, that would explain a lot.

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Andy sat down on the couch his foot tapping nervously on the ground. He shouldn't have been angry with her. Sharon wouldn't leave his mind. He didn't like the anxiety building inside of him. What if something went wrong? She could get hurt and once again it would be his fault. He should not have been so damn stubborn.

His heart skipped a beat as the phone rang. It was already late. Maybe it was Sharon, calling him to say she was alright. He didn't want to think about another option.

"Flynn."

" You sound grumpy, is that the way to greet your mom?"

"Mom…"

"You weren't asleep already were you?"

"No."

He sighed, how was he supposed to sleep. He worried way too much about Sharon.

"Everything okay at home?"

"Yes, we're fine. But you are not. What's wrong, honey? And don't lie to me, I can tell something is bothering you."

"What is that magic ability mothers have?"

"Talk to me."

"I did something stupid."

"What did you do?"

"I was stubborn."

He heard his mom sigh on the other end of the line. Stubborn was his middle name. How couldn't it be? All the Flynn children had stubborn natures, inherited from both of their parents.

"Sharon is out on an assignment by herself."

"I see…."

Sharon Elliot, her son's partner. She had already heard so much about her and nothing but good. She was an extraordinary young woman, who had sent her a wonderful letter, a letter filled with praise. Sharon had thanked her for raising such a wonderful man. That she wanted to do him a favour by making sure he'd be able to spend the holidays with his children. Asking her to tell Andy they had bought the ticket, as he wouldn't accept one from her. Andy hadn't been able to stop talking about her.

"If she's hurt …"

"When will you finally tell her you love her?"

Francesca Flynn knew her son. He was head over heels in love with this woman. He hadn't admitted it during the holidays, but there was no doubt about it. "And don't you go denying it. I know you."

"She's my partner, she's a very good friend."

"And you are in love with her."

Andy fell silent. He knew she was right. He had fallen in love with her a while ago.

"Why won't you just tell her, stop torturing yourself."

"Because she's not in love with me and I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"Honey, you do not know that."

"There's friendship, nothing more."

"I know she cares deeply for you. Maybe you just need to be a bit more patient."

"I'm not sure I want her to fall in love with me. What can I offer her? She deserves something better."

"Andrew Flynn."

"She does, mom."

"She deserves someone who loves her with all his heart and that someone is you."

"She's stuck on this assignment with a moron because of me."

"Sharon sounds like a very smart woman to me. I'm sure she can look after herself. Now call her. Tell her you've acted like a complete idiot and that you want to make it up to her by cooking for her. She enjoys your cooking, honey."

Maybe his mom was right.

"You know I'm right, Andy."

Andy smiled.

"I will mom."

"Good, because I'd like to meet that lovely young woman one day."

They were a long way from that, but maybe one day as good friends.

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Sharon had this gut feeling they wouldn't find Mario at this hotel. The bar man had never heard of a guy by the name of Mario and there was a 'no call girl' policy. This wasn't the place to be.

She sought eye contact with Dixon to make it clear they should leave. There were many other hotels to go to. She could tell he only reluctantly said goodbye to the blond lady on his right. Part of her hoped they wouldn't find the guy tonight. Maybe tomorrow Andy could go with her. He would have her back beyond a doubt.

She walked into the Residence hotel. She'd rather go home, take a long warm bath, it had already been a long day and what were the odds this guy was waiting for her at this particular hotel bar? How long before they would call it a night?

There weren't a lot of people there. She tried not to look around, that would be too suspicious. She was there because she wanted a drink, had just broken up with her boyfriend, or for whatever reason people came to this bar.

Dixon hadn't arrived yet. That was just great. She tried to take deep breaths to calm herself. The last thing she needed was to appear nervous. She shot a smile at the bartender, who locked his gaze on her cleavage. She tried not to look disgusted. She was here to be picked up as a call girl, they did not mind guys eyeing them, as long as they paid.

'Smile, Sharon, you can do this.'

She never flirted with men. Too shy. She had no idea how to flirt. Jack had pursued her, not the other way around. After Jack she hadn't felt the need to look for someone else. Her soul had felt too raw after their break up.

Every eye was on her the moment she entered. There was something about her. She radiated self confidence, class. The porcelain skin, the bright waves resting on her shoulders, all the right curves hugged by that dress. Expensive taste. Fierce emerald green eyes burning a hole in your soul. She was gorgeous, there was not a man in this room who wouldn't want to spend some time with her. In the end that was the exact qualification he looked for in a young woman. It meant men were willing to pay to be just in her mere presence. The question was if he had enough to offer her. She had expensive tastes. Maybe she had more than enough money in the bank to buy herself all these luxuries. If she did, what was her reason to come to The Residence Hotel? The Winston would be more appropriate then.

Dixon still hadn't arrived. What was keeping him so long? She looked at her watch, a quarter to twelve.

"Waiting for someone? I hope not."

The voice startled her a little, but she tried to look composed. The raven black hair, slicked back by a generous amount of gel, the narrow moustache on his upper lip, the small triangle of black facial hair on his chin. She had seen it before. The man who had been arguing with Andrea on the security tape had found her! Was this wise? Dixon wasn't around. She would most probably not get a second chance. Andy would probably want to kill her for what she was about to do.

She smiled mysteriously at him.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

Her smile was the only response he got.

"A scotch and a red wine for the lovely lady ."

"Champagne."

"Mm, expensive tastes."

"Aren't I worth it?"

His smile was sleek, it send a shiver down her spine.

"Champagne it is."

Sharon avoided looking at the guy. She didn't want it to look like she sought out his company. The last thing she'd need was for him to believe she was easy to have.

The bartender placed the glass of Champagne in front of her. She picked it up and emptied it in one drink. She put the empty glass back and looked at the man next to her. The look in her eyes a silent plea for another one, a smile curving on her lips as he gestured for the bartender to give her another glass.

"Tasted that good, huh?"

"Always tastes good when someone else is buying."

With that second glass of Champagne her nerves seemed to calm down a bit.

"So what is a beautiful young woman like you doing here?"

"Passing time."

"Are you staying here?"

"No."

"Why come to this bar then?"

"I like the guests here."

She smiled mischievously. Maybe it was better Dixon wasn't here. Without any burning eyes on her she could play the role she had to play. Fish for a serious catch, and reel him in. Patience would be the key word in this case and of that she had plenty.


	7. Chapter 7

**an: Wish I could have posted this earlier, but I still had it on my pc and not in my doc manager yet. Your reviews are all so great and they get me so excited that I wanted to share more, but there was nothing. I hope you will enjoy this chapter as well. And hope to post more soon. Also a big thank you to the guest reviewers, who I wasn't able to send a PM to.**

 **As always a big thank you as well to glistening sun, for doing the beta work. All mistakes left are obviously mine.**

 **Rated M.**

Chapter seven.

Mario had taken the bait for now, but as she was walking out of The Residence Hotel, she wasn't entirely sure whether he had bought her act. The cool evening air hit her hard in her face. Those four glasses of champagne suddenly felt like her head was filled with bricks. She felt someone behind her, but she didn't dare turn around. This was exactly when she could have used some back-up. Damn Dixon.

If Mario hadn't completely believed her act, he'd trace her paths. She couldn't go home. One look at her luxury apartment building and her cover would be blown. Checking into a hotel was out of the question as well.

Sharon stepped into a taxi without actually knowing where to go.

"Where to?"

"Just drive."

Her heart beat in her throat. She couldn't tell whether Mario was following. It was too dark to tell. Andy would be so mad at her. With reason this time. Andy. Of course, she'd go to him. There was nothing luxurious about his apartment building. She wouldn't be alone. In fact, she couldn't be more safe. She gave the taxi driver the address and finally allowed herself to breathe.

He watched her step into the taxi. She was perfect for the job. Couldn't jump the idea on her though. He did not want to scare her off. Now he would only have to hope she'd be back somewhere during the next couple of days and that she'd be willing to earn herself some good money. He had to be patient, make sure he wouldn't make another mistake again. He couldn't afford it. One call girl showing up dead wouldn't mean much, but a second one could point the L.A. police into his direction. That was the last thing he needed.

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Sharon stepped out of the taxi. Grateful to see someone entering the apartment building. She hurried for the door catching it right before it closed. It would have looked odd if she'd had to ring before getting in.

Inside the entrance hall she stopped at the mailboxes pretending to empty hers while she occasionally stared into the darkness outside. Was he out there? Was he watching her now? The memory of his eyes made her shiver. She should leave that behind now, she was safe. She was a cop, she had even volunteered. She could handle a guy like Mario.

Her heart was still pounding though when she arrived at Andy's door. Although it was ridiculous she had felt watched even in the elevator. The long corridors were either dimly lit by flickering lights or not at all. It didn't help her feeling of being watched. Her responsiveness was impaired by those four glasses of champagne. It made her feel insecure. She rang his doorbell, following it up with an urgent knock. She wanted to be inside, in the warmth, the light, the safe surroundings of a home and closed door keeping out the big bad world.

The doorbell harshly roused him from his sleep. The urgent knocking was drumming in his head. What the hell was going on? Was there a fire or something?

"Yeah, I'm coming!"

Sharon stopped knocking when she heard his slightly cranky voice. She only realized what time it was when she saw Andy in his boxers, tousled hair and sleepy eyes. She must have woken him up.

"I'm sorry…I didn't realize…"

Andy frowned concerned as she seemed a bit out of it.

"Is it okay if I come in?"

Her eyes were so vulnerable. He could swear he saw tears swimming in them.

"I know you're angry with me…"

Her voice broke and his stomach dropped. His behavior earlier had made a larger impact on her than he believed. He could kick himself. Andy wanted nothing more than to pull her inside and wrap his arms around her, kiss her, apologize for being such an idiot. He was worried because she had come to him even though she had believed he was angry with her. Something must have happened to her. Was she upset because of him or because of something else? He quickly looked her over. Despite her vulnerable eyes she seemed alright.

"Come in…"

He lightly touched her elbow to guide her in.

"Would you like something to drink?"

The champagne had left her throat dry and her head light headed. Still, she shook her head.

"I'm sorry I woke you up. I didn't realize it was already this late."

Andy only looked at her, a deep concerned frown between his eyebrows. She still seemed a bit out of it, and now she was also shivering.

"Are you cold? Do I need to get you a blanket? A vest, sweater?"

Sharon wrapped her arms more tightly around herself. The experience had rattled her a lot more than she had thought, she didn't want to tell Andy that though. He had been against this from the start.

"Sharon…"

He didn't like this distance between them at all. The silence was deafening.

"I'm sorry for the way I reacted… I'm just worried about you. I don't want anything happening to you. I'm sorry. "

She couldn't blame him for being worried about her. She'd been afraid that he would stay angry with her.

"I missed you tonight."

Andy smiled. She had come to make amends then.

"It's not the same without you…"

"I thought about you all night. Were you lucky?"

"Hm. It's the guy Andrea argued with in the hallway."

"He came to you? Did he ask you to…?"

He didn't want to say the word. He didn't want to think about how far this could go. He didn't want to think about what could have happened already, because he hadn't been with her.

"Not yet, but I believe he will. That's why I couldn't go home. It would have blown my cover. Is it okay for me to stay here?"

"Of course it is."

As soon as he had told her it was okay, the thought struck him that being around her twenty-four/seven would make it very hard to hide his true feelings.

"I can't believe you found the guy this fast."

"We were at the Plantura first, but then I decided we better spend a few more hours at the Residence Hotel. I guess he was already in there when I came in."

"What now?"

"I'll go back there tomorrow, see if he takes the bait."

Andy fell silent, trying to occupy himself with anything, just as long as he wouldn't have to look at her. She could tell he still didn't like the idea.

"Andy this is the only way."

"I know…I know… Everything went well tonight. I shouldn't worry so much."

Sharon looked down, staring at the ground. Andy narrowed his eyes, she was keeping something from him.

"What are you not telling me?"

For the second time his scrutinizing eyes fell upon her, looking her over, searching for something that might have happened to her.

"Don't get angry…."

He raised his eyebrow, as she finally looked up at him. Her emerald green eyes put a spell on him. Like he could get angry at her like this.

"What happened?"

"I agreed with Dixon to go to the Residence. When I walked into the bar, Dixon wasn't there yet. I sat down believing he would walk in any second, but he didn't. He still wasn't there when Mario sat down next to me, but then I couldn't leave anymore."

Yes, she could have. She should have. He felt like blowing up, yelling at her, telling her how dangerous it had been for her to stay there alone without back up. He clenched his fists, swallowing down his anger. He didn't want to yell at her. It wouldn't help at all. Sharon was stubborn, he could blow up, yell at her, but she would do the exact same thing tomorrow, if she believed there wasn't any other way.

That moron Dixon. He could yell at him. In fact he liked to beat some sense into the guy. Hadn't he warned him? What the hell had he been thinking leaving her hanging like that?

"This was the only chance I had."

She stared at him, he was still silent. Anger was boiling inside of him, beyond a doubt.

"Where was Dixon?"

It took all his self control to remain calm.

"I don't know. Andy, I had no other choice."

Andy took a deep breath, forcing himself to smile.

"You're alright, that's all that matters."

He reached out for her cheek, a light touch while he locked eyes with her, trying to calm himself by saying that she was at least okay, that was all that mattered.

For a moment Sharon simply stared at him. He hadn't blown up the way she had expected him to. He had wanted to, but he didn't. That was so sweet. And she was so grateful, she was too tired for a huge argument with him.

"I don't know for sure, but I had a feeling of being watched."

"When?"

"When I arrived here. I was lucky I could catch the door before it closed. I couldn't see, it was too dark outside."

"Dixon should have been there."

His anger flared up. That's why she had seemed so out of it, she'd been scared. Dixon was supposed to keep her safe. Andy walked towards the window. He wouldn't see anything, but he had to try. The idea that the creep was following her made him feel uneasy.

"You did the right thing coming here."

She was safe here. Still, he felt the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her, gentle kisses on top of her head. He could not do that though. He wasn't allowed to touch her like that.

An awkward silence followed. Why was it that they didn't know what to say to each other anymore? This wasn't normal. Maybe he was still angry with her, was that it? Things were different.

"Are you really sure you're okay with me staying here?"

Not really, but there was no way he'd let her leave, not after what he knew now. She was safe here and that's where she would stay.

"Yeah, I am."

"Okay, wouldn't you much rather yell at me then?"

Andy grinned.

"I should."

"I know it could have ended differently, but it didn't."

"We should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

She knew Andy avoided the topic, because he didn't want to argue with her. She should be grateful he was so considerate. He probably knew how exhausted she was.

Sharon looked over her shoulder. "Do you have a spare blanket? I could use on the couch."

"You're not sleeping on the couch, hon. Let me worry about the couch. Why don't you take a warm shower? Sorry, don't have a bath."

"A shower is just fine. And, uhm, can I borrow a t-shirt or something to sleep in?"

Andy smiled inwardly at the prospect of teasing her a bit. He tried to keep his face as neutral as possible.

"Oh you don't sleep naked then?"

"You do?" Her eyes widened, a red flush covering her cheeks, her voice higher pitched than normal. The panic seeping through caused laughter to rise in his throat. The look on her face was simply priceless. She blushed a brighter red as Andy burst out in laughter, embarrassed for being so prude.

"Sure, you can borrow one of my shirts. I'll get you one. I'll drive by your apartment tomorrow, get some of your things. We don't know how long this will take."

He was right. She had not been thinking about this in the longer term. This operation could take weeks.

"This guy could be waiting outside. Better be me then."

Sharon nodded, Andy was right. That guy could be waiting outside. Maybe she hadn't imagined the feeling of being watched. Just the thought send a shiver down her spine.

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Andy realized he had forgotten to get Sharon the t-shirt, when she stood right behind him, a hand touching his shoulder.

"Andy?"

She smiled.

"Sorry, I didn't want to startle you."

'Get your act together, Flynn.'

He knew he was staring at her. His gaze resting on the top of her breasts where her towel was held together, because she rolled the edge down. He couldn't help thinking about what was underneath. His eyes caught a drop of water slowly rolling down between her breasts, disappearing underneath that towel. He shouldn't stare at her, he shouldn't think about what it would be like to undo that towel, to glide his hands over the smooth skin of her body, trace every curve before pulling her close, to bury his hands in her wet hair, to touch her lips with his. He shook his head trying to get rid of the thoughts that had invaded his brain. As he looked up at her face he saw how shy she really was. She fumbled with her wet hair, twisting it, probably trying to focus on anything other than the fact that she was standing in front of him wearing nothing but a towel. He hoped his voice was working. "Sorry, that was one quick shower."

"I'm really tired."

"Dresser drawer on the right of my bed."

"Thanks. Good night."

"Night."

'Stop staring at her.' He scolded himself for always staring at her as if his eyes were glued onto her body. He bend his head. His eyes were now fixed on her swaying hips. How was this supposed to work out? The door of his bedroom closing soundly broke the spell.

For a moment Sharon looked around. The sheets on the bed were disheveled. He'd been asleep when she had rang the doorbell. Her knees slightly bend, the palm of her hand touched the mattress. It was still a bit warm from Andy's body heat. It spread a warmth through her stomach.

A shiver went down her spine again as the fresh evening breeze blew through the open window. She didn't want to think about what or who was outside. She didn't want to think about anything that had happened tonight. Here she was safe.

Sharon pulled the top drawer open, closing it quickly when she saw Andy's boxers inside. Again, a nervous heat spread through her body. She looked into the next drawer. Andy better not be teasing her again! She was happily surprised to find neat stacks of folded shirts. She took the one on the top into her hands. Closing her eyes she took in Andy's scent, the remnants aftershave on his shirt. Before she knew it she was inhaling deeply, allowing herself to drift off to a place that was safe and warm. He gave her that warm, fuzzy feeling.

A soft smile formed on her lips and she allowed herself to drop down on his bed. Pulling his shirt over her head allowed the towel to slip onto the ground. She would pick it up in the morning. She was too tired to do anything else but lay her head on that pillow and close her eyes.

Every muscle in her body relaxed when she laid down. Tension flowed from her body. She had been more scared than she had admitted. She shouldn't have stayed by herself. Andy was right. She had been lucky tonight. Her face dropped sideways on the pillow, her nose inhaling once again Andy's scent. This time stronger. Instinctively she snuggled closer. It soothed her, she almost felt him near.

Her mind was too exhausted to wonder why she was inhaling her partner's scent, why she was so willingly snuggling into the blanket and pillow that had hugged his body only an hour ago, why his scent made a warm comfortable feeling coil inside her belly. Instead she drifted away into the comfort of a dreamless sleep.

Andy laid down on his back breathing out deeply. His eyes were wide open. All thought of sleep was gone now. How was he supposed to get any sleep with the blood rushing through his veins. The mere thought of Sharon asleep in the other room. If he was really quiet, he could hear her breathe. A lot of sleepless nights would follow. The sooner this guy was caught the better. Then Sharon would be out of danger - and out of his apartment.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:It's been a while again I know. I'm really bad at updating. RL is too busy. The highlight of my week are when I see another story fave, or another story or author follow. I really appreciate that! So thank you all so very much. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

 **Again a big thank you to glisteningsun for doing all the beta work on these chapters. All mistakes left are all mine.**

 **Rated M like always.**

Chapter eight.

Hamilton had agreed with him that Sharon shouldn't risk coming to the station. They'd do their meetings at his apartment. Andy looked at the door of his bed room. Sharon was dressing herself. She'd been surprised to see him awake early. In fact he hadn't slept much at all, unable to clear her from his thoughts.

Even this morning he'd been staring at her. Her tousled wavy hair, the long legs underneath his t-shirt. She looked so hot. A cold shower was the only thing that did the trick.

He was happy to be able to escape to her apartment to get a few of her things. In her home, he had felt a bit uncomfortable going through her dresser drawer, searching for underwear. He felt dirty holding her bra's in his hand, the thoughts that entered his mind. A few times he passed a negligee. He couldn't help thinking about Sharon wearing it for Raydor. His hands gliding on the lace material, sliding the thin straps off her shoulders, before his fingers would trace over her arms.

Just the thought of it made him angry, jealous. Still. He knew they weren't together anymore, but they had been. The past would never go away. Fact was that Raydor had been intimate with her on a level, he couldn't even dare to hope he'd ever be. Maybe he'd been her first. They had been engaged. Whether he liked it or not Raydor would always be a part of her.

Andy's head turned as his bed room door opened. Sharon looked classy in just about anything. Even now she managed to pull it off while wearing a jeans and a simple white blouse. She smiled at him. Did she say something? He should pay attention better.

"If you miss something, just say the word I'll pick it up for you."

"Thanks. Shouldn't we go to the station?"

"They guy could be posting outside. I agreed with Hamilton, we'll have the briefings here. It will help you maintain your cover."

"If he's out there, won't he recognize they guys when they come to the hotel later?"

"No, they're going to drive into the garage, come up that way."

Sharon's attention turned to the door as the doorbell rang.

"I'll go make some coffee."

She knew Andy rather not had her come to the door. You never knew who was in front of it. Sharon decided to indulge him a bit. After last night she knew she'd been a bit stubborn and Andy had been more right than she wanted him to be.

The Commander entered. She had no idea he'd be here for the briefing. She wondered what Andy told him for him to come all the way over. She heard them talk in low voices. Their gaze burning a t her. She hoped Andy wouldn't pass his worries onto their Commander. She did not need that.

Sharon turned around with a smile on her face, meeting Hamilton's worried eyes. He looked her over.

"Would you like some coffee?"

She smiled neutral, ignoring his worried glance, hoping he would give up.

"Yes, thank you."

Elliot seemed alright, maybe it was just Flynn's overprotective nature. She was a big girl, tough. She'd been through so much already. It wasn't like she was alone in this either, one of the men would always be with her.

It all seemed quite like home. Sharon relaxed, dressed casual, bare feet. She sat down on the couch, pulling her legs underneath herself. Not planning on moving as the doorbell rang again. Cohen and Zygerski entered, although they were officially still on another case. If Sanders and Dixon would arrive they could finally begin.

Sharon was just listening to one of Cohen's lame jokes, when she heard Andy's fist make impact with apparently Dixon's cheek.

"You're such an idiot!"

Hamilton leaped up surprised. So did Cohen and Zygerski. All ready to get in between of the two men. Not that it would be any use. If Andy wanted to land a second punch he would.

Sharon stared at Dixon's shocked face, his fingers touching the sticky crimson red blood which flowed from his nose. Her eyes switched to Andy. He simply stood there not an ounce of regret on his face.

"You idiot!"

The anger spat from Andy's voice, while he got into Dixon's face.

"I warned you to better look after her to protect her!"

"I was there!"

"No you weren't she waited for you at the Residence and you didn't come. Where the hell were you?!"

"I thought we were calling it a night. The Residence today."

Andy fumed at Dixon's stupidity. Sharon walked over to him, knowing if Dixon kept talking that he'd dug his own grave. She put her hand on his shoulder. She felt his reaction at her touch. His muscles tensed, straining to hold back. Dixon now looked angry at her.

"Why didn't you just leave when I didn't show up?!"

Andy once again moved forward, threatening Dixon back.

"The guy was there, he took the bait. What should I have done? Tell him to come back tonight?"

Sharon looked agitated. So did Andy. This could blow up, he better cool them all down.

"What happened, happened. Elliot handled correct. Her cover is intact and the suspect took her bait. So we better discuss how to proceed next."

Sharon knew Hamilton was right, but Andy would not move an inch. She slowly rubbed his shoulder, calming him sown, trying to persuade him silent to let go and focus on something else. They didn't need words, their body language was more than clear for one another. As she felt his shoulder blade relax underneath her touch, she knew he let go.

Her eyes met his, as he turned towards her. She looked so calm, so accepting. For some reason she was not angry. She did not judge him. He could not help it. The guy put her in danger. That was all he could think of. He did not want to see her hurt. His anger faded as he saw the small smile on her lips.

Great, once again Elliot managed to calm Flynn down. Dixon sat down pouting. He had it coming though, so he wasn't going to show him any sympathy.

"The guy who took the bait… do you believe he's connected to the murder?"

"It was the same man who argued with Andrea on the security tape."

"The one in the room next to her?"

Sharon nodded.

"I believe this is the Mario, Carmen mentioned."

"Did he ask you to work for him?"

"No, he was just very charming and generous with the Champaign… I'm sure he was testing me."

"He probably was. If he killed our victim something went wrong. He does not want to make that mistake again."

"I agree."

"What's the plan, Elliot?"

"I go back there tonight. See if he seeks me out again."

"Play hard to get. The guy should have to put some trouble into it. Sanders, you go with her."

Sharon looked surprised, she had expected to go back onto this assignment with Andy. Was it because he hit Dixon? Andy looked surprised as well.

"Cohen and Zygerski are still on another case. Dixon will sport a shiner soon enough.. "

Hamilton gave Andy a look.

"And we don't want to scare him off don't we? One wrong touch and your hot headed partner will work him to the ground. It will have to be Sanders."

Andy looked at Sanders, who didn't show a lot of enthusiasm either. He narrowed his eyes. He better get his act together and have Sharon's back. Either way he planned to be there as a back up.

"I will be in the hotel's security room."

It was an announcement, not a question. As Sharon looked relieved, Hamilton decided to let him. Not that he would have a lot to say about what Andy could and could not do. Flynn believed he was the only one who'd be able to keep Sharon safe. It didn't matter anymore that in the beginning he didn't even want her a his partner. Now, he'd give his life for her.

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As time ticked away, Andy became more nervous. This anxious feeling coiled inside of his belly like a snake. A little while ago Sharon disappeared into the bathroom, to make herself ready. The thought of her near this killer was almost unbearable.

Sharon focused her eyes on her lips. In a fluid move she painted them red, like the night before. Desperately trying to keep her hand from moving. She didn't want to show Andy how nervous she was. He'd be even more protective over her. That was not going to work. She had to stop worrying. She was a police officer, she should be able to handle this. Andy's fears tend to rub off on her.

Her hands fluffed her hair. It would have to do. She opted for the same dress as the evening before. She didn't want Mario to believe, she had enough money to buy several of these. She could always buy a couple more when he took the bait.

Andy hastily sat down as Sharon came out of the bed room. He didn't want to start of awkward by gaping at her from the moment she walked through the door.

"What do you think?"

Andy closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, before he turned around to face her. He tried desperately not to stare at her. She looked gorgeous.

"Will it do? Hm?"

She was so natural with him. That made it so much harder. At this point he was pretty sure that she saw him just as a friend. There weren't any romantic feelings from her side. She behaved more like a sister to him. She didn't care she walked into his kitchen wearing his t-shirt, socks and tousled hair, fresh awake. And he loved her for that no nonsense attitude. The guys at the station mainly saw her as a spoiled little rich girl, but she was nothing like it.

"He'll look at you alright."

"Andy, come on, serious, do I look the part?"

She could never look like a hooker, no matter what she wore. Her body language too classy.

"You don't look like a typical call girl…"

Her eyes showed distress.

"But you never would. Hon, you're just classy. That's what makes us such an odd couple."

"Andy stop joking, this is not funny. He's supposed to pick me as his next girl."

"And he will. Stop stressing. He'll pick you out, because there won't be a man in that hotel bar, who would not want to spend an evening with you. That Mario guy will know they'll be willing to pay big bucks to be with you."

A deep sigh escaped Sharon's mouth as she plumped down on the couch, not far from Andy. If only she could share Andy's faith in her.

"Stop stressing."

Andy looked at her, his hand gently squeezing her thigh.

"You're going to do just fine. You did last night as well. Don't worry."

Andy wished he saw a little more faith in her eyes.

"I'll have your back tonight."

A small smile curled on her lips. It was reassuring to know Andy would be nearby. She wouldn't have to worry. She wasn't alone in this assignment anymore. She didn't trust Sanders, but she did trust Andy. She trust him with her life. Though she hoped it wouldn't come that far this time. She should be able to avoid putting herself in danger.

Sharon was still nervous, worried, that troubled him. it wasn't anything like her. She'd gone into this so confident. If she worried about something, there was reason to. He'd have to observe this Mario tonight. See what about him had made her this nervous.

Maybe it had only been the circumstances of Dixon not being there. Having no back up must have made her feel on edge. He wished he'd hit Dixon harder, broke his nose or something. Itiot.

Sanders wasn't much improvement either. How those guys managed to complete the Police Academy and even make it to Detectives was a complete mystery to him. If he would mess up as well he wouldn't care about what Hamilton wanted. He'd partner back up with Sharon. She was his partner after all. Hamilton wanted him to partner up with Sharon when he hadn't wanted a partner at all. He would not let him take her away from him now. Was he the only one who saw Dixon and Sanders simply dislikes Sharon? They'd rather see her go. What was the point of keeping her safe to them?

"I want to catch this guy, Andy."

He squeezed her thigh.

"You will."

Andy stared at her.

"You are the right person for the job. You know that, don't you?"

He was afraid his reaction contributed to the doubt she had in herself. The last thing he'd want was for her to doubt herself it would make her doubt her instincts. That moment of hesitance could make the difference between life or death.

"You were right and I was wrong. I could not think straight. I could only think about the possible danger you could be in."

"Andy we're cops. We're in possible dangers day in day out."

"I know…"

He forced a smile. It was fine to keep his feelings separate when she was just his partner to him, the nuisance he got stuck with. She was so much more now though. He had experienced the fear of losing her. The emptiness the thought left him. He couldn't imagine his life without her anymore.

"Hey…"

Sharon's hand covered his. Her thumb stroking the back of his hand. The smile on her lips softened him up.

"What's on your mind? Hm? Spill it."

He had to be so careful with his feelings. He didn't want to push her into anything.

"You promised me you'd talk to me."

Her eyes were burning at him. There was no escaping her, or the feelings he had for her.

"I don't want to lose you."

"Andy."

She squeezed his hand tight.

"I'm not going anywhere…."

Danger sought her out though. That serial killer, the bullet she took for him, Landry. It always lurked right around the corner. His thumb rubbed her fingers in a lousy attempt to soothe himself. The clock dinging crudely interrupted the moment. It was time. They'd have to go. If only this could be over. But who was he kidding there? This would never be over. There would always be new cases, new dangers. He would have to find a way to deal with this fear, before he would suffocate them both.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Thank you so so much for all the wonderful reviews they always warm my heart and mean so much to me! I appreciate it even more, as I know I am terrible in regular updates and you are all still with me. Also a thank you to the guest reviewer, I couldn't send you a reply, but I appreciate everyone who took the time to leave me a few kind words!**

 **A big thank you to glisteningsun for all the beta work. All mistakes left are mine.**

 **rated M.**

Chapter nine

Eyes fixed on the small black and white security screen, Andy didn't want to miss anything. His heart beat in his throat, he didn't even take the time to drink the coffee, that turned cold in the cardboard cup in front of him. The security camera gave a clear view of the hotel bar. There wasn't a man in the bar who would not look at Sharon. He could not blame them. She looked so gorgeous. She looked so erotic. It wasn't the dress she wore. It wasn't the make- up, or the way she wore her hair. In retrospect he'd been attracted to her the moment she stood next to his desk. He'd been annoyed by the situation, but the look in her eyes had captivated him in an extraordinary way. It were the little things that made his heart beat faster. It was the look in her eyes. The innocence and vulnerability. The sparkle and the joy. The way her lips curled when she smiled. Her little mannerisms. The way she bit her lower lip, the way her foot would rub the carpet.

Those men looking at her made him nervous. Who knew how many creeps were eyeing her at this moment. This Mario guy wasn't there yet. Maybe he would not come. He almost hoped he wouldn't. He wanted this to be over. The sooner this was over, she'd be safe and out of his apartment.

Sharon traced the foot of her wine glass with her finger. She tried to avoid the eyes that were trained on her. She'd only blush if she would see the men who were staring at her. She desperately tried to pretend it didn't make her feel uncomfortable.

The presence of Sanders just a few feet away not calming at all. She would probably feel a lot more relaxed if Andy was in the room with her instead of somewhere down the hall in a security room. She tried to calm herself down by telling herself Andy would be there in a heartbeat when she'd need him.

Andy's eyes narrowed as he saw the guys hand on her back, his lips near her ear, uncomfortably close. Sharon tensed, although she tried very hard to mask it. The guy probably didn't notice, but he did. It made him anxious to know she was feeling tense. He was too close. Andy bit his lip, his knuckles turning white, restraining himself not to go down there and force the guy to stay away from her.

He focused on the screen. It must be Mario. It was the same man who they'd seen on the security tape arguing with Andrea. This was their prime suspect. He seemed highly interested in Sharon.

Her breath hitched as he laid his hand on her back. A shiver went up her spine. A feeling of dread settling in her stomach, while his breath was warm on her skin. Sharon focused on her breathing, trying to keep her face masked. Forcing her lips to curve.

"You're back. Mmm you smell good."

Sharon tried to ignore him. Playing hard to get was the way to go. She didn't want to seem eager, or he might get suspicious. Slowly she turned her head towards him. Although she was nervous, she locked eyes with him. Playing seductive. She wanted to make him weak in the knees. She wanted him to see what she'd be able to do. She just hoped it would be enough.

That woman managed to put a spell on you. She captured you with her eyes and she wouldn't let you go anymore. She managed to keep all the men in the room hostage with just her presence.

"So are you…"

Her voice was slow, mesmerizing him, watching the movement of her lips.

"I hoped to see you tonight."

He gestured to the bartender for two drinks and sat down on the barstool next to her.

"What is it what brings you here?"

"Excitement."

He smiled as he saw the twinkle in her eyes.

"What is it you do for a living?"

"I study. I'm kind of in between jobs."

"Daddy won't pay your tuition then?"

Sharon's lips formed a tight smile.

"Daddy didn't like my boyfriends of the moment."

Plural. She didn't seem prude.

"So now he cut me off. Had to move to some ratty apartment. I can't even unwind anymore. If it wasn't for nice guys like you I wouldn't even have anything to drink."

She picked up her glass and brought it to her lips, her eyes looking up over the rim, never leaving his. That look made his blood ran faster. It was so promising, although he doubted she'd give him anything more than a sweet whisper in his ear. There was something about her that made alarm bells go off. It spelled danger. Still she was the only woman he'd met so far, who could turn so many men's heads.

"What if I said you could make three hundred bucks a night, just sitting here enjoying a glass of some ridiculous expensive Champaign?"

She finally had him where she wanted him. He bought her act. She should not seem to eager now, he might get suspicious.

"I'm serious."

"I'd say, what's in it for you?"

He smiled, she was not dumb. He wondered what she studied.

"Twenty percent."

That wasn't a lot. How was this supposed to be lucrative for him? it wasn't like he had lots of girls under his wing either, like they had originally thought. More questions. The only way to find the answers was to play along with him.

"Twenty percent for doing what?"

There was a sharp look in her eyes. Now he gave her the idea, she probably believed she could pull this off without him as well.

"To keep the creeps away from you, sweetheart. Some of the men here don't look the part, but usually the bigger the wallet, the sicker their preferences are. I make sure I'll keep them off your back."

She studied him. Probably weighing the deal in her mind.

"Just drinks."

He nodded, that was enough for now. He'd manage to persuade her when time would come for more. He always had.

"We have a deal."

"So how does this work?"

"Men with need know who I am. They come to me."

"You do this for more women?"

"I did before."

"Where's that woman now?"

"Had to start her internship. That put an end to all nighters'."

"I see."

"The men come to me. They pay. You entertain them for a couple of hours and then I'll pay you."

"Okay, but I have the last say."

"The last say in what?"

"Which guy."

"You can trust my judgment call, sweetheart."

"I trust myself. That's the deal, take it or leave it."

She stared him down, but inside she was a nervous wreck. Was it smart to play hardball? Would he call her bluff? What if he wouldn't agree? She'd messed things up then. Just when her stomach began to turn, he nodded.

"Alright we'll do this your way. You have the final say, as long as they pay enough."

"You determine the pay I'm fine with that."

Andy's fingers tapped on the table. He wished he could hear what was said in that room. Sharon looked less nervous. It seemed like she came to some form of agreement with the guy. He walked away from the bar and sat down at a table in the far end of the room. The dimly lit corner hid him from the surrounding people.

Why wasn't Sanders moving? He should be Sharon's customer, that was the main reason why he was in the bar with her.

He clenched his fists, as he saw another guy already walking towards Mario's table. Damn. He knew Sharon. She would suck it up, spend the evening with God knows what creep. You could leave it to Sanders to fuck things up.

Andy wanted nothing more than go down there, sit right next to her to protect her. Hamilton shouldn't have separated them. If anything would happen to her….

Sharon looked over the rim of her glass at Sanders. Hoping she wasn't too obvious. Was he stupid? Why wasn't he getting the idea? This was the deal. He was supposed to be her customer and he better be the first one interested. She turned her head to the side, quirking her eyebrow.

Finally he got up from his bar stool .She tried to concentrate on her glass, waiting for him to take the seat next to hers. She tensed as she felt his hand on her back.

"Loosen up."

His voice was stern. They did not like her, she knew that, but couldn't they put their dislike for her aside for one moment?

"You'll need to go to Mario first. If you don't want to be hauled away from here in the next few minutes."

Sanders bend into her, to whisper in her ear.

"He must have been really desperate to chose a stuck up bitch like you."

Sharon smiled tight, biting the inside of her cheek as he walked away. This was not going to be a walk in the park. She should just be professional, if Sanders wasn't, she should be.

Andy breathed in and out, slowly. He had a clear view of Sharon's face. He knew that tight smile of hers. Whatever Sanders whispered in her ear, hurt her. He better not make this uneasy for her. This was difficult enough for her as it was. Didn't he understand that? It was about time they'd begin to treat her as one of them. She was part of their team and they were all on the same side.

He frowned as Sharon looked over her shoulder into Mario's direction. There was a small nod. She must have the final say. A smile curved his lips. Very smart. They all underestimated her.

He watched Sanders sit down next to Sharon. She forced a smile. He could tell what it took from her to keep up this friendly mask. It should be him sitting on that bar stool. At least she would be a lot more comfortable then.

Sharon tried her best to smile and seem relaxed.

"Unbelievable that guy had me pay four hundred bucks for you... who in their right mind would pay that amount. "

"You did, didn't you?"

Sanders narrowed his eyes.

"Hamilton better pay me back. At least you won't have to be afraid some stranger will come onto you."

Sharon swallowed. At this moment she probably preferred a complete stranger.

"You better keep smiling you're supposed to sit here all evening."

"You don't have to tell me how to do my job, doll."

Her eyes steeled over. She felt like slapping him in the face. Instead she had to smile polite and take a few deep breaths. Sanders gestured the bartender for a drink.

"You shouldn't be drinking."

He cocked his eyebrow, looking at the wine glass in front of her.

"It's water."

"I'm the superior. Besides I need a stiff drink if I want to get through this evening."

Sharon looked the other way, she could not stop him from drinking. She could not order him. In his eyes she was still the rookie that did not belong in Homicide in the first place.

She'd been right. He shouldn't have started drinking. He was annoying sober, but intolerable drunk. He began moving closer to her. Looking at her in a certain way, that she could only feel uncomfortable with. She now wished she ordered a wine instead of water.

She looked at the clock, willing the time forward. When would it be okay for Sanders to call it a night? She wanted this to be over. Only it wouldn't be over after tonight. They had no idea how long it would take. She'd be stuck with Sanders the next evening and the next, for as long as it would take for them to get the evidence they needed. They weren't anywhere near getting evidence yet.

She was disrupted from the thoughts in her mind when she felt a warm hand glide between her thighs. Her body tensed. Did Sanders really found the liberty to slide his hand underneath her dress?

"What are you doing?"

She spoke between her teeth, doing her best to smile so no one would notice.

"This should look real. Loosen up."

He smiled and squeezed her thigh.

"Now I'm going to speak slowly so you will understand. Get. Your. Hand. Away. From. There."

Although she smiled her eyes were cold as steel.

"Relax. We need to make this look more real."

"I can make this more real for you. I can call Mario over and tell him you're pawing me, so he can show you what part he has in all this. Go to the restroom and sober up a bit before you return."

It sounded as a damn order. He still followed it. He knew her by now. She would do what she threatened him with. Even if it would risk their assignment, she meant her turning to him. So he got up from the bar stool and walked away.

Andy saw the scene play out in front of him. Sanders uncomfortably close to Sharon. His hand at a place where it had no business to be. He could tell by Sharon's face that she was uncomfortable.

He hurried down the stairs, to the men's' restroom. In just a few steps he was at Sanders side grabbing his arm, so he could push him against the wall. A deep frown between his eyes.

"What the hell were you doing? You're supposed to be there for her support. Not to make her uncomfortable."

"It should look real, right? But she's frigid."

"You keep your hands to yourself."

"Afraid I'll touch what's yours?"

A red haze formed in front of his eyes. He was done with Sanders. He raised his fist.

"You want to give me a black eye? Elliot is alone in there right now."

The fear of anything happening to Sharon, brought him back to his senses.

"Don't touch her again. I mean it. Now you get back in there and in a small hour you will leave, so you two can call it a night."

Andy released Sanders from his grip.

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Andy followed the cab Sharon was in from a distance. She probably had been right the other night. Mario was following her now as well. The purpose could either be control or protection. Neither made him feel comfortable.

He watched Sharon walk to the apartment building. Earlier he gave her the spare key, so she'd have not trouble entering the building. Inside she'd be safe. So he waited outside, see what Mario would do. Would he camp out there in front of the building or would he leave for home himself?

Andy wished he'd leave so he could go up himself. See how Sharon was doing. Sanders had been the usual ass. He felt the need to check if she was okay.

Sharon did not turn on the lights in case this guy was watching the apartment building. She kicked off her shoes. All she wanted now was get out of that dress, wipe the make-up from her face and cuddle up in something comfortable.

Take a shower, wash away the smells from the bar, the alcohol, the tobacco, Sanders disgusting aftershave that still filled her nose. While pulling the zipper down she walked to the shower.

Mario drove away after a few minutes, so it was safe for him to go up. He heard the water run as he entered the apartment. Sharon was underneath the shower. He could not blame her. It had been a long day. He wished they would already know when this assignment would be ending. For now they still had no evidence whatsoever, just their suspicions.

He looked over his shoulder as the bathroom door opened. Sharon only wore his t-shirt, scrunching her wet hair with the towel.

"You're in already…"

"Mario drove off after a couple of minutes."

"So he followed me here…"

Sharon pursed her lips, thinking.

"You know I wonder what's in it for him. He only gets twenty percent."

Andy followed her gaze to his coffee table. The dollar bills on top of it.

"Three twenty for me, eighty for him. How's he supposed to live from eighty dollars."

"A night."

"Even then. It makes no sense. If he had more girls, yes, but how is this lucrative to him? There has to be more."

"We'll find it out."

Sharon nodded, her mind far, far away, he could tell. He studied her, wondering whether he should ask her about tonight, or just leave her alone. Sharon didn't open up easy. Normally they didn't share a home together. She would have her spare time, away from him, their job. She would be used to deal with this in the peace and quiet of her own home. Now she didn't have that. Should he also bug her with questions, that might make her uncomfortable.

His instincts spoke. His heart ruling over his brain. His hand reaching out for her lightly touching her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Hm-mm."

He knew that hum by now. She wanted to make him believe she was okay, but she wasn't. Something was bothering her. She chose not to talk about it though. He could not pressure her into it either. It was no use to begin with.

"I'm kind of tired would you mind if I'd go to bed?"

Andy shook his head. Sad as she wouldn't open up to him. He wanted to help her, but he didn't know how and that somehow made him feel so helpless.

"Good night."

"Good night."

Andy stared at her while she walked towards his bed room. There were days like today when he believed he did not know her at all.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: I'm still amazed each time I see all those reviews. Also a thank you to the guest reviewers, because I can't send you a PM to show my appreciation. After not writing on my Shattered images series for maybe over a month, you all have me drawn back into this universe I have created. For the first time in months I've made time today to work on the last edit of chapters that have already had their beta work done on it, all because of your enthusiasm. I promised an update to some of you today. So I will deliver for once on time. Next update probably next week, I'm painting the house :S**

 **A huge thank you to glisteningsun for all the beta work. It's a lot of work and I really appreciate the time and effort you've put into it. All mistakes left are mine.**

 **Rated M**

Chapter ten

A terrified scream snapped his eyes wide open. The sound startled him, abruptly pulling him away from his sleep, leaving him disorientated for a couple seconds. Almost rolling from the couch, before he remembered he wasn't sleeping in his comfortable bed.

Darkness met him. It was still the middle of the night. Another scream cut through his bones. He shook his head trying to clear it from the cloud that sleep formed over his brain. Sharon.

Sharon was the one screaming. He got up and hastened himself towards his bed room. Turning on the lights, he was fast reassured. No intruder, just Sharon, tossing and turning in her sleep. He looked at her in his bed, an intimate thought chased away by another one of her screams.

Andy walked over to the bed. He had to wake her up, calm her down.

"Sharon?.. Sharon?"

Her chest heaved up and down, short panicked movements, almost gasping for air. Her hair plastered to the sides of her face, his shirt wet between her breasts from sweat.

"Sharon wake up. You're having a nightmare."

His words had no effect on her whatsoever. She was captured to deep in her dream. Andy tentative reached out for her shoulders. Gentle he stroke them with his thumbs.

"Hon, wake up. You're having a nightmare."

Startled he released her shoulders, as her eyes popped wide open. There was a panic in them he'd never seen before. Not even that day he found her in the trunk of that car.

Her eyes shifted across the room, while trying to catch her breath. She still looked scared, but the sheer panic had disappeared, so he dared to come closer to the bed again.

"Easy… Let me get you a glass of water."

She vigorously shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. I'm sorry…"

He frowned, slowly sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"I must have had a nightmare."

"Yeah that happens sometimes. No need to apologize."

"I have them a lot. Jack would sleep at home if he had an important case coming up."

Andy raised his eyebrows in surprise. So far Raydor's concern and understanding.

"It comes with the job, hon. I've got them too. It's okay."

He reached out to put his hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it to comfort her. Watching how her breathing returned to normal. Her chest heaving up and down in a slow and steady rhythm. He wondered though if his words reached her. She still seemed uncomfortable to him. Andy rubbed her arm, kneading it a bit for comfort.

"We see a lot on the job, Sharon… And you've been through a lot. It's okay."

Sharon stared at him. He was so kind and understanding. Jack had been the first time, but not the next and certainly not when it began happening on a regular bases.

"I'm going to get you a glass of water."

She didn't object this time. Raydor was even more of an ass than he believed him to be. Not sleeping with her, just in case she might wake him up, that was ridiculous. He should have supported her, not leave her hanging.

Sharon bit her lip, running her hands through her hair, trying to get her heart rate to return to normal. She was still shook up when Andy returned with an understanding smile and a glass of water in his hands.

"Here you go…"

Her hands trembled, so he covered her hand with his to steady her. He didn't want to smother her, but he was also concerned.

"Do you want to talk about it?... It sometimes helps to talk about stuff."

Andy was so open and wanted to help her. She really wished he could.

"I can't. I don't remember what I dreamt about."

"Just now?"

"Or the other times…"

"Okay."

He usually remembered, but maybe it wasn't like that for everyone.

"Can I do anything to help you?"

A smile formed on her lips. He was so incredibly sweet. She shook her head.

" The glass of water was more than enough, thank you. You better get back to sleep. I've kept you from it long enough."

He smiled, she hardly knew how many times she kept him from his sleep. The mere memory of her touch, her smile would be enough to keep him awake for hours. Andy reached out to gently touch her cheek.

"Have sweet dreams, hon."

She smiled huge at him. The kind of smile that warmed his heart.

"Thank you… You too."

Andy closed his eyes, as he closed the bed room door behind him, resting his back against it. His mind worked overtime wondering what it was that haunted Sharon in her sleep. She'd been through so much already. Their job wasn't easy either. The murdered bodies on the crime scenes. They were called towards would cause nightmares with anyone. If only she could remember them, he might be able to help her cope with them.

Sharon closed her eyes, as she rested her head back on the pillow. She was never able to get back to sleep after one of those bigger nightmares. Although her heart rate returned to normal, adrenaline still rushed through her body.

Her fingers lingered over her cheek. It was still warm from Andy's touch. The look in his eyes would not leave her mind anymore. So sweet, thoughtful, sensitive, caring. He'd been so understanding and patient. Not a hint of anger or impatience, frustration, that he was hauled from his sleep.

He'd even been reassuring. So she wasn't the only one with nightmares. Funny that when jack blamed it on the job it had made her angry. Now Andy referred to it she felt supported. Then again Andy didn't use it as a reason for her to quit her job. That's what annoyed her with Jack's reasoning. He had used every opportunity to make her quit her job.

Jack would blow up if he'd know what she was doing. Posing as a call girl would make him go ballistic. He would never understand this was simply an assignment. He'd make a huge deal out of it. Would probably be afraid who'd see her posing as a call girl. One of his clients maybe. What would people say?

Why was she thinking about Jack? They broke up several months ago. She still believed it was a good decision to make. Maybe her parents were right. She should mingle more socially, meet new people. Since her break up she buried herself in work, maybe it was time, although she didn't feel lonely.

How could she? Living with Andy was very comfortable. He was such a good friend, always there when she needed him. She wondered why he hadn't met another woman yet. He was smart, sensitive, open. Had a good job, didn't look ugly either. He could be very charming and she was sure there were women who'd like to date him.

Maybe he was reluctant after everything he still went through with his ex-wife. She never got him to tell her what ended his marriage. The only thing he'd insisted on was that it had been his fault. It didn't matter, he deserved happiness.

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Andy looked over his shoulder, smiling as he saw Sharon walking back to forth, telephone in her hand. He let her sleep in, especially after that rough night. So now he was making her some breakfast, while listening to her talking to her mom.

"No momma, ….Yes, momma. No I'm being careful. I just wanted you to know I'm staying at Andy's for a while… I don't know for as long as it takes us to catch our suspect I guess. I am. Andy is watching me like a hawk."

Andy walked over to her with a steaming coffee mug.

"I will. … Momma's sending you her regards."

Andy was captured by her smile.

"Same here."

"Momma don't tell daddy exactly what I'm doing.. Just to be sure keep him away from the Residence Hotel. I don't know, sometimes you'll go out to dinner. Daddy will probably choke in his food when he sees me as some call girl at the bar."

Andy could imagine that. His daughter was still small, but he didn't want to think about her ever being a call girl, pretend or not.

"No, momma, no of course not. No I am save. There are guys from the team. No. Andy is right there with me. He won't let anything happen to me. Give my love to daddy. Hm-mmm I will call soon. Bye bye. Love you."

Sharon hung up and smiled at Andy.

"Momma's worried."

"Of course she is."

Sharon studied Andy's face, the tone of his voice.

"So are you…"

"I'll always be worried about you, hon."

"I'll be fine. Besides you're there with me. What could happen?"

"All sorts of things could happen. I'm not in the room with you. I can only see so much. I can't hear anything that's said…"

"Andy.."

"You were upset yesterday…"

Sharon avoided his eyes. She knew Andy could blow up at anything.

If she was avoiding his eyes, she kept something from him, something big. He wouldn't let it go. Not this time. He crossed the remaining distance between them. Touching her chin with his fingers, making her look at him.

"I couldn't see everything, but you were upset, because of something Sanders did. What did he do?"

Sharon took a deep breath.

"If you won't tell me I will ask Sanders. You know I will get the answer from him one way or the other. "

Yes, she was very much aware of that. She'd better be the one to tell him to do some damage control.

"Sanders was drunk."

Andy bit his lip, turning away.

"Andy it was no big deal."

"You were upset, Sharon. I could tell. You don't get upset over nothing."

"I told him to get his hand off me and he did."

"So he did touch you."

His face distorted into an angry grimace.

"It was nothing."

"Where?"

"Andy…"

"Where?"

"Andy I need you to promise me you won't blow up on him. I handled this, okay?"

"Where?"

"He put his hand on my thigh to make it look more real. I'm sure he'll never do it again."

"Oh he won't. "

"Andy I dealt with it. Promise me you won't punch him down like you did with Dixon."

Andy grunted as he turned away again. She touched his arm.

"Andy. Andy look at me. Promise me."

He was saved by the doorbell. Sharon looked at Andy walking over to the door.

"Be civil."

It was a warning and order in one. He knew better than to go against her. He did not want to argue with her, and definitely not about Sanders. Before he opened the door he looked back at her and met her eyes. She quirked her eyebrow at him, letting him know she meant it and that he'd better listen to her warning. He was happy to great Cohen and not Sanders or that idiot partner of his.

"Cohen. Tell me you wrapped up that case, so I can get either Zygerski or you into that bar. Sanders and Dixon are both idiots. "

"Sorry, we're just here for a quick briefing and the Commander wants you to look at our case as well. Great. Coffee."

Cohen made himself comfortable and before he could close the door again, the others followed in. It took him everything to restrain himself from sending out a clear warning to Sanders.

"Congratulations, Elliot. I heard you were successful in reeling the suspect in."

Sharon gave a brief nod, crudely interrupted by Sander's remark.

"I do want my money back, Commander."

Sharon breathed in annoyed, walking over to the cupboard where she stored last night's money. She walked back to throw it in Sanders lap.

Hamilton noticed the tension between his team members. The steel look in Sharon's eyes. Sanders remark. Andy seemed only amused, once he saw Sharon's action.

"That's still eighty short."

Why did he have to throw oil onto the fire? Andy's muscles immediately tensed, so did Sharon's. The tight smile on her face promised nothing good. She reached over for her purse and got a one hundred dollar bill out that she threw at him.

"Don't mind the change."

Sanders face grimaced angry, ready to get in her face, but changed his mind, as she wouldn't move an inch, her eyes of steel never leaving his. It wouldn't get him anywhere. Flynn would be the next one to jump at him if he'd attack his precious little rich girl.

Andy had one eye on Sharon. She was handling Sanders just fine herself. Maybe he was a bit too protective over her. She looked at him, almost daring him to say something. Sanders didn't though. Hamilton was the first one to break the tension.

"Elliot what are your findings?"

Sharon turned around and sat back on the couch near Andy.

"I don't know what's in it for him yet. He only takes twenty percent. He doesn't have multiple girls. He agreed to do this on my conditions. Just drinks, I had the final say. It doesn't make any sense yet."

"You'll get there."

"That means she'll go back tonight and I want to be in the bar."

Sharon looked surprised.

"You better bring enough money, Flynn. Normally you might be able to grope her for free, but this time it's going to cost you."

Andy's eyes widened, ready to jump up, if not restricted by Sharon's hand lightly padding his thigh. She calmed him without even looking at him.

"Sanders."

Hamilton gave him a stern look.

"Flynn's not going to be the next customer. He's the backup plan. You're on the job until either Cohen or Zygerski wrapped their case up."

"I will be inside the bar."

"No way."

"I can't recall either of you are the Commanding officer here. I am."

"I'll be in the bar. Period. No discussion. This guy is our prime suspect in a murder. She needs back up."

"That's what Sanders is for."

"Drunk?"

"I won't have that hot head in the room! We all witnessed what he did to Dixon and he practically attacked me at the toilet last night. He's a loose cannon!"

"You put your hands on her, you dirty bastard!"

Andy pointed at him, his face and angry red. Sharon looked at him because apparently Andy already had attacked Sanders for the incident the night before.

"It should look real. You have no idea how hard it is to make it look real with this frigid.."

"Watch your words pal!"

"Enough!"

Hamilton's voice silenced the room, while he rose from his chair.

"Both of you better calm down. You, no drinking and a little bit more respect for your colleague would be in place. And you… You are this far away from suspension."

Hamilton looked stern at him, the space between his thumb and his index finger only an inch. Andy wasn't impressed though.

"Fine suspend me."

Hamilton's blood boiled.

"That is not going to keep me away from that bar and for the duration of the assignment Sharon is staying here at my place."

"We can relocate Elliot. "

"I don't want to." Sharon was quick to pitch in.

"No we can't. The guy followed her to this place. He will get suspicious. Would you take that risk?"

"I'm not moving."

Great, now Elliot joined Flynn in being stubborn. Sometimes he regretted putting them together.

"Now I will stay right here. Andy will do his utter best to restrain himself…"

She looked at him as she heard a grunt of discomfort coming from him. He was moping until she quirked her eyebrow and looked intense at him.

"…. And if Sanders will have to play my customer he better keep in mind not to touch me inappropriate and keep professional just do his job."

All men were silent. None of them could recall putting Sharon in charge. Still they were silent. A tight smile formed on her lips.

"So what's this other case we're dealing with…?"

Hamilton found it remarkable how she simply took charge. It wouldn't surprise him if she'd be the commanding officer of a team one day. She stood her ground.

Andy felt her eyes burning at him, ever since the others left. He'd seen the look before. She was angry, no doubt about it.

"Okay. Just let me have it now, hon."

She simply stared at him. It was maddening. Oh God he could not handle her silent treatment.

"Come on. Let me have it. Say what you want to say. I know you want to."

She just looked away and walked towards the bed room.

"Sharon…."

She stopped walking and turned around.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Whatever's on your mind."

"You hurt Sanders."

"Hardly."

She quirked her eyebrow.

"I didn't touch him earlier."

Sharon shook her head he was incorrigible.

"Hey, I deserve some credit for that."

"Andy.."

"I don't like it when you get hurt."

"Andy you can't always protect me for the big bad world, besides I'm a big girl I can take care of myself."

"You're…"

His throat choked. What was he supposed to say? You're the woman I love? You're my partner? She looked questioning at him. Her eyes more vulnerable and open, the initiate anger already forgotten.

"You're very important to me. I don't want to see you hurt."

She smiled so loving, touching his cheek, locking eyes with him for what seemed forever, until she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight.

"You're very important to me too, Andy."

Andy answered her embrace, relishing the feel of her in his arms. Her warmth, breathing in her scent, it was all very soothing.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: I know it has been a while but my holiday ended up a lot more hectic than I had believed it would be, like always. I'm still happily surprised when I see a new story follow or a review. So thank you all so much, also the guest reviewers.**

 **Why an update today? It's my mom's birthday, being in a festive mood I believed I should also celebrate it with an update :) I hope you enjoy!**

 **A big thank you to glisteningsun for all her hard work doing the beta on this story. All mistakes left are mine.**

 **Rated M**

Chapter eleven.

The last two weeks Sanders and finally Zygerski and Cohen had been taking rounds playing her customer. All underneath Andy's watchful eye. Sanders managed to restrain himself, only complaining about the price going up every day. As if he had to pay for it with his own money.

Andy wouldn't leave her out of his sight, not for one single second. His eyes were trained on her from the other side of the bar the minute she sat down.

She could only imagine how hard it must be for him to be in a bar surrounded by alcohol, temptation, every evening. All because he wanted her to be safe. She was so incredibly proud of him. He didn't show the slightest discomfort.

For over a month they were already living together. Getting used to one another, even more than they already were. Sometimes a look was enough for them to understand each other.

It became harder every day to see her simply as his friend and partner. They were too damn close. The fact that she didn't mind walking around him in almost nothing, didn't make it any easier either.

"What?"

She smiled at him looking over her shoulder, taking a pause from cutting up the vegetables. It became harder every time to talk himself out of the situation, when she caught him staring at her. How long before she'd notice there was more to his stares? How much longer before he would mess up their friendship?

"Hm?"

"What's on your mind? The case?"

"Mario's raising the price by day."

"I know."

"Still you're making far more than he is."

"Hm-mm.. I wonder when he'll start pressuring me to do more than drinks."

If that would be the case, they would have a problem. There was no way one of them could go up and pretend to have sex with her.

"Here let me help you with that."

Andy stood right behind her, his hand covered hers, to guide her in the cutting. She loved to feel his warmth, because it always made her feel so protected.

" You're really improving my cooking skills. Momma and daddy won't believe I've cooked all of this."

Andy smiled at the twinkle in her eyes. She looked proud.

"Thank you. It was very nice of you to invite my parents over."

"Well as long as you can't visit them…"

He wasn't thrilled to invite her parents into his humble surroundings. The doctor and his wife weren't used to crappy apartments like this. Normally he wouldn't care, but in the back of his mind he still thought about a chance of having a life with Sharon. Her parents wouldn't really see him as a catch, when they'd see where he lived. He knew Sharon, she wouldn't care about their opinion in this matter, not when it concerned his living conditions. She wasn't materialistic, although she grew up in a huge home, never having to worry about money. She looked as comfortable here, as in her own luxurious apartment. Not once she looked at this crappy old leather couch, she just sat down on it and pulled her legs up underneath herself.

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, that must be them."

She smiled huge and her eyes lit up. She almost made a small bounce while she turned around from the kitchen to walk to the front door.

Mark looked at Diane.

"Are you sure it's here?"

"The name tag says Flynn, doesn't it? Besides Sharon gave me this adress."

Mark sighed.

"Be kind."

How could he not when his wife gave him that look? A look Sharon seemed to have inherited from her. He wasn't looking forward to the scrutinizing looks from both his wife and daughter, so he would be on his best behavior.

They were met by Sharon's radiant smile. Her cheeks were a bit flushed and they hadn't seen her this joyful in a very long time. She looked beaming.

"Momma, daddy, hi… Come on in…"

"Hello darling." Mark kissed the side of her face, before he stepped aside for Diane.

"Sweetie.. Mmmm what smells so nice?"

"Dinner."

Their daughter smiled huge. Like this she reminded them of the time she was a little girl and had this twinkle in her eyes, when she accomplished something.

"I helped Andy."

"She's understating her part in this. A lot of it was Sharon. She's great with vegetables."

"I could not have done it without Andy's help."

Sharon smiled at him and he was enchanted by it, forgetting their guests for a moment. Mark and Diane stared at the interaction between their daughter and her partner. It was kind of a revelation to see her all smiles. It was Mark who eventually cleared his throat, resulting in a nudge from his wife.

"Momma, daddy, why don't you two sit down and Andy and I will get the food."

Mark and Diane looked at where she gestured, a small dining room table. Mark bend over to Diane, whispering to her.

"Have you been talking to our daughter, lately? Is this the kind of dinner in which she announces she's moved in with Mr. Flynn here, 'cause I'd like to get the heads up then. "

"No. She hasn't been talking to me about anything like that. They live here together, because of this assignment."

"You have just seen them look at one another right?"

"Yes. Our daughter just looked extremely happy. It's been a while. If Andy Flynn is making her happy like this, then I'm grateful to him for that. So be civil, okay?"

Mark looked surprised. What was she accusing him of? He smiled at Sharon, as she put down a big bowl of salad.

"That looks delicious, darling."

Sharon felt Andy's hand on the small of her back, guiding her to her seat. A smile on her lips naturally appeared to thank him.

"What can I get you to drink?..."

Andy was about to say he only had a bottle of wine for Sharon's sake, when Sharon's dad unbeknownst turned it into an uncomfortable situation.

"Some Scotch would be nice."

Sharon looked at Andy. She knew he was uncomfortable over this. For a moment she was tempted to speak for him, but decided against it, when she saw the strain on Andy's face. There was a definite struggle to deal with this himself.

"Sorry I don't have any alcohol in the house. Just one bottle of wine for Sharon's sake."

Andy took a deep breath before he met Mark and Diane's eyes.

"I'm an alcoholic."

He could feel Mark's eyes burn at him. He knew he had just dropped below zero on the scale of suitable candidates for the man's daughter. All this, while he didn't even know how his alcoholism almost cost him his daughters life.

There was an uneasy silence in the room. Sharon looked concerned at Andy. Her fingers instinctively sought out his hand. Gently squeezing it, while she gave him a reassuring smile.

"I've been sober for about eight months now."

Mark clenched his fists underneath the table, as that meant he'd been drinking during the time he worked with Sharon and put her in God knows what danger in the mean time. Blowing up now, or seeming hostile wasn't going to get him anywhere though. The only thing he'd accomplish was make Sharon angry with him. He hadn't missed the gesture of her squeezing his hand in support.

"I'm afraid I drank the last glass before going to bed yesterday."

"That's alright, sweetie. Water is fine."

Sharon was grateful to her mom for getting passed the subject of Andy's alcoholism.

They were making great dinner conversation, until her father brought Jack up. Sharon's spine straightened, a tight smile forming on her lips.

"You have?"

"Yes, at the club. He asked for you."

"Hm."

Diane knew what her daughters minimal response meant. The last person she wanted to talk about was Jack. She didn't quite understand why her husband brought him up anyway. He hadn't really been very understanding towards Jack during the break up.

"He misses you."

"Mark."

Diane gave Mark a look, very similar to the looks Sharon could give him, as a silent reprimand. Andy couldn't help but smile at the similarity.

"They were together for a long time… I mean sometimes all you need is a short break…"

"Jack and I are not going to get back together, daddy. Not now, not in a few months either. I can't be the wife he wants me to be, so that's not really going to work out. And I'm sure he only misses me, because none of the secretaries or interns were available at the moment. "

There was a bitterness in her voice. Andy knew the cold look and the tight smile. She was still hurt. She put her hands on the table and pushed herself up. So she could walk away from the situation. Which meant in this case, walking to the kitchen, as he didn't have a balcony. Andy put his napkin on the table and got up. Going after her to check on her, see if she was okay.

Diane saw Andy's hand on Sharon's back, slowly rubbing it. Whatever it was what truly happened between Sharon and Jack, Andy knew what it was. She looked at her husband.

"Why in Godsname did you bring Jack up?"

She hissed between her teeth, not wanting Sharon to hear their conversation.

Mark looked away.

"Something more than just the things she shared with us happened between Jack and her. Sharon was unhappy while they were still engaged. You supported her decision."

"I just thought maybe she rushed things, I definitely don't want her to rush into something new."

"So that's what this is about. Andy. Oh gosh Mark, she's not your little baby girl anymore. She'll meet a man one day and she will get married and start a family of her own."

"He's an alcoholic and this place is…."

"Stop it. We'll talk about this at home. Now no more talking about Jack and be civil."

Andy rubbed Sharon's back.

"You okay?"

She nodded, but he knew she wasn't .

"Do your parents know about what Jack did? I mean when you caught him with that…"

"No. And it's not important. I had already broken up with him at that point."

"A couple of hours."

"It didn't matter."

"No it doesn't I guess. He's an ass either way."

"Andy."

She gave him a look, so he smiled.

"You know your mom has the same reprimanding look you have."

A smile crept upon her lips.

"Let's head back, finish dessert."

Sharon nodded, pulling herself together. For a moment she looked into Andy's eyes, realizing that he was always there for her when she needed him. Patient, understanding, loving. A warmth spread through her heart. Andy would always have a special place in her heart.

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Diane studied her husband over the rim of her book cover. He stared at the embers inside the fireplace.

"What's on your mind?"

Mark looked up at her indifferent. She knew what was on his mind. A man named Andy Flynn.

"Stop making yourself crazy about something you have no control over whatsoever, Mark."

"Sorry I can't stay relaxed the way you are."

Diane sighed, closing her book, putting it on the salon table in front of her.

"They're friends. "

Mark squinted his eyes.

"Sweetheart, you did look at the two of them together, right?"

She had to admit. There had been times already months ago when she had believed there was more going on between Sharon and Andy than friendship, but as time progressed and no romance blossomed she resigned to the idea that they were nothing more than very close friends.

"Yes, I did see them interact between one another. I have seen them interact on multiple occasions. Yes, they are close. Maybe it's because they are partners."

"If I would be that close to one of my nurses, you would have a serious problem with that, Diane."

"Hm-mm. Your life's safety isn't in the hands of one of your nurses day in day out. I can imagine it's different for Police Officers."

Mark looked away.

"Alright. What if they were more than friends? Would that be so bad?"

Mark's eyes widened.

"Oh come on. You don't like any man who's interested in your little girl."

Diane smiled mocking him.

"You didn't like Jack very much either, when they just started dating."

"Well, you can't really blame me now. This Flynn isn't exactly a catch."

Diane quirked her eyebrow.

"A divorced alcoholic."

"A divorced recovering alcoholic."

"I don't care. Besides you saw how he lived."

"What are you a snob now… Sharon seemed quite comfortable there."

Mark took a deep breath, knowing Diane was right. Despite the fact that Sharon grew up with all her needs provided for as a little girl. Money wasn't important to her at all, neither was status. Family live, that was on top of her list.

"I don't care about his place on the social ladder, Mark. I don't care about his bank account, the place he lives, or his job. When Sharon opened the door before, she had the most radiant smile on her face I've ever seen. She looked truly happy. It's been a long time ago that Jack managed to make her that happy. Their split up had quite an impact on Sharon. I believe she only told us halve of what happened. I don't know if Sharon's in love with Andy. I believe he loves her deeply and what will happen between the two of them only time will be able to tell. What matters is that our daughter will be happy. "

Mark smiled sad. His wife was right about many things. He touched her cheek and gave her a kiss.

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Andy ran his hands through his hair, while Sharon was taking a shower, like she did each night returning from the assignment. He knew she needed to wash away the smell from the bar. At home she didn't want to be reminded of work, of Mario's watchful eyes, trained on her all evening. The eyes of a murderer. He could not blame her.

He poured himself a glass of water, looking at the remnants of dinner that were still in the sink. Sharon had offered to wash the dishes before leaving, but he told her it could wait. The entire evening he spend thinking about that dinner with her parents. Her father definitely did not like him. He could not really blame him either. In twenty something years from now he wouldn't be particularly thrilled if Nicole came home with a guy like him. Introducing him as her boyfriend.

He wasn't even dating Sharon and the man already didn't like him. Another reason why Sharon and he could never be in a relationship.

Sharon studied Andy, he was hovering over the sink, his mind far far away. A worried frown appeared between her eyes, as she walked towards him. She put her hands on his shoulders, gently kneading them. Feeling how tense he was she stood closer to him, her cheek almost touching his shoulder blades. She didn't have to ask him what was wrong, or what was on his mind, she knew what was bothering him.

"I'm sorry."

Andy held his breath, as he felt her hands on his shoulders, so close, he could feel her body heat. For a moment he believed it was one of his daydreams, until he heard her voice.

"I'm sorry daddy made you feel uncomfortable."

He shrugged, moving away from her hold, as no matter how good it felt, it also made him feel uncomfortable.

"The only way to recover from being an alcoholic is to admit you have a problem, not only to yourself, but also to others. I can understand your dad wasn't exactly thrilled to learn about my problem. I'm supposed to have your back, keep you safe."

"Andy you do. I feel perfectly safe with you. You admitted you had a problem and did something about it. I'm very proud of you."

He couldn't have done it without her. Almost losing her had been a serious wake up call. The promise he made to Sharon that night would never be broken again.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: I was overwhelmed by how many of you have read the last chapter and by the wonderful reviews! They are so nice to read! Thank you MCTVfan for giving me a bit more insight it was so helpful and nice to read. To the guest reviewers, the kiss will come not in this chapter, but soon.**

 **And yeah for once I've been able to keep my promise to update today. I hope you all enjoy this chapter just as much as the previous one!**

 **A special thanks to glistening sun, who has worked so hard on the beta of this story. All mistakes left are of course mine.**

 **Rated M**

Chapter twelve

After she had woken him up several times by screaming in the middle of the night, he was no longer disoriented. He knew the drill, he would walk over to his bedroom and gently wake her up.

"Sharon, hon, wake up, you're having a nightmare. Hey, come on…"

The neighbor banged on the wall.

"Hold your horses!"

She couldn't help that she had these nightmares.

"Wake up, honey, …"

He stroked her arms like he had on previous occasions waiting for her eyes to snap open, for her to catch her breath.

"It's okay… just a bad dream."

He tried to smile reassuringly, while her eyes looked bewildered. His heart broke when he saw tears well up. Vulnerability, frustration, fear, all showed in her moist green eyes.

"Hey…"

He reached out for her, placing his hand on her neck, pulling her to his chest.

"It's okay… It's over. It wasn't real."

His chin rested on top of her head, slowly rocking her.

"It wasn't real."

She could feel Andy's arms tightly wrapped around her. The sound of his heartbeat was soothing, so was the smell of his shirt, in which she buried her slightly runny nose. The way he slowly rocked her back and forth made her feel the safest woman in the world. Sharon cuddled up closer to Andy almost holding onto him for dear life.

Andy was tired of fighting off his feelings for her. How was he supposed to do that, when she threw herself in his arms? How was he supposed to do that, when she was so sad and in need for him? It felt so right to have her in his arms at this moment in time. His lips touched the top of her head. A featherlight touch combined with softly mumbled soothing words.

Was it wrong to do so? Yes. Did it feel right? Yes. He was following his heart in this. Tired of listening to the part of his brain that was screaming at him to stay away from her.

Her eyelids felt heavy. Tired as the only thing she had gotten until now was a very restless sleep. Andy's chest felt so comfortable. She allowed her body to become heavy in his arms.

In between kisses he stroked her hair, his hand gently kneading her neck. He wished he knew what was haunting her in her sleep. He wished he could make it all better somehow. She was probably right, he wanted to protect her from the big bad world. It had already hurt her though. He felt her body getting heavier. Looking down at her, he pushed a strand of hair away from her face, tugging it behind her ear. Her eyes were closed, her breathing pattern calm and even. He smiled. She had actually fallen asleep in his arms.

What was he supposed to do now? He loved the feel of her in his arms. He could hardly spend the rest of the night with her like this. Her grip was tight though, she had an iron hold on him. He hoped she wouldn't feel too awkward in the morning. Sighing he pushed himself backwards to the head of the bed, so he would have something to lean against falling asleep. He had never believed that he would sleep in his bed with Sharon. Hopefully he wouldn't talk in his sleep.

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Andy grinned while he watched Sharon wake up. She looked adorable with her forehead wrinkled and sleepy eyes. He had tried to disentangle her from his chest so he could put her back in bed properly and start breakfast, but she only cuddled up to him more closely, with every movement he made. She blinked her eyes.

"Good morning, hon."

For a moment she looked confused, stuttering a little when she wished him the same.

"You had something of an iron hold on me after you fell back asleep."

She blushed. "Sorry… Are you okay?"

His back hurt a bit, but he was sure Sharon would feel guilty about that, so he simply smiled assuringly. "Sure. How could I not be okay? I slept with this gorgeous woman in my arms. "

Sharon hit him on his chest. He smiled while she pulled herself up.

"I'm so sorry…"

"Hey don't be … Actually it was nice and cozy being back in my warm bed."

"You'll have it back soon enough… Maybe already after tonight."

He didn't want to think about tonight. It had taken all of him the night before to stay calm during Sharon's obviously heated conversation with Mario. He'd been nice until then, leaving it all up to her. Now his true nature was finally showing. He had wanted more and driven her in a corner to accomplish it. They were up to the point that just drinks was no longer acceptable. Sharon had a theory of course and if that theory was correct, her posing as a call girl could be over tonight.

"The Commander is going to be here in an hour. Why didn't you wake me?"

Andy put his hands up in the air, at her accusing tone. Then he quickly got up from the bed, when he noticed Sharon heading to the bathroom.

"No, no, no, let me go first. I need to be ready within the hour as well and that's not happening when you confiscate the place."

Sharon yelled over her shoulder. "Guess you should have woken me up a bit earlier then."

Andy shook his head. So far for his good deed of letting her sleep peacefully after that rough night. Besides he wondered whether he would have managed to wake her up. After she had fallen back asleep, he hadn't even been able to move her, or remove himself from her hold, waking her would have been near impossible as well.

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Hamilton paced up and down not really comfortable with the sudden changes to this plan. "You have a theory, Elliot?"

"Andrea wasn't just doing drinks. We knew that hotel room wasn't hers. We assumed her client had rented the room, but we now know he didn't. Mario could have rented the room. His room was next to it. It makes sense. "

"Yeah Sharon is right. We saw them on that tape arguing in the hallway. Probably wanted to stay nearby in case something happened."

Hamilton frowned. "As protection you mean?"

Sharon shook her head. "No I don't think that was his main concern."

They all looked at Sharon, who sounded so sure.

She rubbed the space between her eyes. "What still bothers me is the fact that he isn't making as much money as you would believe he would."

"He'll earn more now." Cohen added.

Sharon shrugged. "So will I…"

"He forced you into doing more than just drinks. What makes you think he won't start pushing for a higher percentage? Maybe that's what the argument was about with Andrea, he wanted more money."

"That wouldn't have been a reason to kill her, Commander. He already had that money. The men pay him. He could have simply paid her less."

Hamilton pursed his lips. "So the question is what would make him risk killing her?"

"If she threatened his business." Andy was sure of that, and so was Sharon. "If only we could talk to her last customer."

Hamilton studied Sharon. While the others were thinking aloud she did the same quietly. "What are you thinking, Elliot?"

"What would make a steady income for Mario?"

They didn't have a clue, but Sharon seemed to have an idea.

"Those men are married, have good jobs. I don't believe they would want to be associated with a call girl. I'm sure they're willing to pay for him to keep his mouth shut."

"Blackmail." Cohen had been married too many times, he could imagine men letting themselves get blackmailed by a guy like Mario.

Hamilton believed Cohen could be right, but the victim couldn't talk anymore and he doubted the men who were blackmailed would. "You need proof for blackmail."

"That could be a reason for the adjoining rooms." Sharon added.

Hamilton nodded. It wasn't just a hunch. It sounded like a very plausible theory. "We need to catch him in the act or it's not going to hold up in court."

"More importantly, we couldn't haul him in for questioning and keep him long enough to break him." Of course Andy didn't seem so sure about her statement, he would love to have a go at Mario.

Cohen was having a better idea though. "I can rig his room, Commander. We'll be able to see what Mario will be doing."

Hamilton nodded at Cohen. They needed proof somehow.

Sanders brought up an uncomfortable subject. "Isn't there a flaw to this plan?"

He managed to get all of their attention.

"Mario will probably tape what's going on in Elliot's room. We tape him taping and that will be enough to bring him in. "

"There should be something for him to tape, Cohen. Does that mean Elliot will go up with whoever Mario planned as his next blackmail victim?"

Hamilton frowned at the mere idea. "No, of course not. It will have to be one of you."

Cohen smiled teasingly. "Always wondered what you look like in a sexy black negligee, Elliot."

Sharon smiled, shaking her head. "Keep wondering Cohen. You won't be my customer."

"Hey… I've been your faithful customer off and on for the last few weeks. Don't tell me you favor Zygerski or one of those two. That would be a blow to my heart. " Always the dramatic Cohen reached for his heart.

Sharon raised her eyebrow. "Before any of you start getting the wrong idea… if I have to do this I'll be doing it with Andy."

Andy's breathing hitched for a moment. Did she really just say that he would have to be her customer? This was just great. They would have to pretend … he did not even want to think about what they would have to do… not even if it was just pretending.

"Hasn't this guy seen Flynn?"

Yeah, Hamilton was making a good point there for once. At least it stopped his heart from racing now that he saw a way out.

Sharon looked stern. "I'm not doing this with anyone else."

Sharon's voice was determined. It made Andy look at her. Only when he saw the look in her eyes, he could understand what this was doing to Sharon. She must be fully aware of what it would take to make this believable. He should have known she wouldn't want any of the guys with her while doing that. She had already been uncomfortable enough when it had been just drinks and some superficial flirting, a hand on her knee, a stroke of her hair.

She trusted him though, felt comfortable with him. She would walk around his apartment merely wearing a t-shirt. She'd step out of his bathroom in a towel. He had been selfish only thinking about how difficult it would be for him, instead of thinking how hard it would be for her.

Hamilton had his reserves. "It could be a problem…"

"He could have easily been looking at me all those evenings, because he was interested in me. I want Andy."

Hamilton wondered what her partner thought about that. "Flynn?"

Sharon looked at him. Only he, was able to see the vulnerability in her eyes. He could not refuse this, not when she looked at him like that. He was her partner, he owed it to her to keep his act together.

"Sharon's my partner."

Those words granted him a grateful smile from Sharon. He wasn't sure whether she should be. This was going to be very uncomfortable and awkward. Maybe if Sanders were right about them being romantically involved, then this wouldn't be so awkward. Sharon might feel as comfortable, as she could be in a situation like that, but how could he be? How could he be comfortable in pretending to do something he'd been longing for in his dreams for so long already. What if she would notice something? It could ruin everything: their friendship, the way they worked together. They might cross a line they wouldn't be able to cross back again.

"Okay. Cohen you're going to set up some cameras in this guy's room and in both of the adjoining rooms. I'll get judge Sutcliffe to sign you a warrant. "

Cohen nodded and got up, a lot of work was ahead of him.

"Zygerski, set up a surveillance room on the same floor, Sanders, Dixon, go help him set it up. I want everyone present and on top of their game. This is a team effort."

Hamilton moved his eyes towards Sharon and Andy, the only ones remaining on the couch.

"You are not going to go up to that room with a stranger, understood? You're not going to finish this assignment at any cost."

"Don't worry, I won't let her."

Sharon gave him a look, but ended in a smile.

"I'll leave the two of you alone, so you can talk this over."

Andy walked him to the door. Closing it behind their Commander, he didn't want to turn around. He didn't want to face Sharon. He didn't want to risk her seeing the doubt in his eyes.

"I want him caught, Andy. I can feel it in my bones that he was responsible for Andrea's death. I saw something in his eyes yesterday: the need for control."

"You're not going to do something stupid and dangerous."

"Me?" She gave him her best innocent look.

"Yeah, you. I know you."

"Must have been something I picked up from my mentor."

She smiled, her eyes twinkling. How could he not fall for her when she was like this? She was simply irresistible. He shook his head, smiling.

"Don't say that in front of Hamilton. He already believes I'm being a bad influence on you."

"Hm…"

That hum when she smiled, the sound made his spine quiver, made his legs all wobbly.

"I'm sure he sometimes regrets assigning you to me."

"Why? We're a great duo."

"Surely he blames me for you being stubborn, although that's in your nature."

Sharon frowned. "I'm not stubborn."

"Yes you are and that's one of the things I love so much about you."

It was out before he noticed it. A serious slip of the tongue he could not hide anymore. Sharon smiled at him though, not taking it as serious, as he believed she would.

"One of the things? That means there's more you love about me? Oh my, do tell…"

Andy had no idea she was teasing him and his face fell. "Uhm…"

"Come on, there must be more. Don't be scared. I won't bite."

Great, what had he gotten himself into? "Uhm, well, you are very serious in doing your job. You're very professional. Very precise."

She raised her eyebrow. "That's all you can come up with, Andy Flynn? How professional I am?"

She saw the conflicted look in his eyes and had to restrain herself not to burst into laughter.

"What about my beautiful smile and my amazing legs?"

His face paled. The startled look in his eyes made her double over with laughter.

Surprised he looked at her laughing. The sound was so warm and loving. Contagious if he hadn't been this shocked. He could only stare, while she tried to catch her breath.

"Relax Andy, I'm just teasing you. You should have seen your face."

Trying to control her giggles she walked over to him, touching his cheek.

"I'm sorry."

Sharon's eyes locked with his. She felt like she was looking into them for the very first time, when her heart made a small jump. Looking into his eyes gave her a warm fuzzy feeling. She somehow felt complete and at home. There was so much she saw in them. So many feelings, varying from worry to love. How much had changed between them? She couldn't possibly imagine her life without him anymore. The idea literally made her heart ache and caused a panic to rise in her. She felt so comfortable with him, she could be herself with him, no matter what.

What was this warmth that spread inside of her heart when she was looking into his eyes? The feeling confused her. She stared at him, but then pulled her hand away from his cheek. What was happening all of a sudden?

Turning around, she avoided looking at him. "You must be pleased at the prospect of getting your apartment back to yourself."

He didn't want to think about that. In the beginning he'd been afraid to have her around him day in day out. Now he broke out in a sweat, at the idea of not having her around, of not smelling her scent in his apartment, of not looking at her during breakfast; the way she would lean into him in the kitchen while they drank their first mug of coffee of the day; of not wishing her goodnight every evening, of not falling asleep to her hums. He'd miss her so much.

Sharon walked to the bedroom to lay out the clothing she would wear that night. Andy followed her and stared at her from the doorway.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we can haul him in now, bluff our way into him admitting what he did. Just give me an hour and I'll break him."

"This is the way to go Andy. I want us to have an airtight case. I want him convicted and not released after a few months on some technicality."

"You still sure you're up to this?"

"Yes, of course."

"With me?"

"You're my partner. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing this with anyone else. So how are your acting skills? I hope a bit better than mine."

"Maybe we should talk this over."

"No, let's just improvise when the moment comes. "

Improvise. Would Mario find it odd if he would talk to her all evening? There was no way back.

"So what would you like to see me in. The black or the green?"

She managed to look dead serious even though he was turning away from the negligee on the bed with a horrified look. Again she burst out in laughter.

"I should better ask whether you are up to this. Come on, Andy, don't make such a big deal out of this. Try not to blush tonight, okay?"

"Let's make it our goal to keep your clothes on tonight. The moment the guy will start filming they can drop in and arrest him. With a bit of luck, you will have just finished your first glass of champagne by then."

Andy didn't want to think about other scenarios than that one, because he had no idea how he would deal with that situation.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: I'm so glad you all enjoyed the last chapter so much I hope this one won't disappoint either. So grateful for all your favs, follows and reviews, they light up my day!**

 **A big thank you once again to my beta glisteningsun, all mistakes left are of course mine.**

 **Rated M**

Chapter thirteen.

Andy felt a stone weighing on his stomach. His hands were sweaty and he hoped his neck would not show any red blotches. He tended to get those, when he was nervous. And he was nervous. He could not recall ever being more nervous about something. He tried to ignore the sound of his own heartbeat that raced like mad in his chest. Trying to focus on his breathing, he also fought off the thought that he really was in need of a drink.

Sharon looked as beautiful as ever. In fact she seemed less nervous than any of the previous nights. She had this immense faith in him. He could only hope he wouldn't break that trust. What if he would lose himself? His mind desperately tried to hang on to the idea that they would be able to arrest Mario after five minutes. Maybe all he would have to do was touch her cheek , or something like that. He could do that. That wasn't anything big. It would be fine.

Sharon felt this strange fluttering in her abdomen. Was it nerves? It shouldn't be, tonight she wasn't on her own. Andy was right there to support her. She'd be fine. She always felt comfortable with him. She had even fallen asleep in his arms last night.

He was sitting just across the bar. Why were her eyes wandering off to him? Looking into his warm brown eyes made this warmth rush through her body. It filled her heart.

What was this feeling? Looking into his eyes made her heart swell. She could not tell when she had first felt like this. She only knew it had been a long time since she had felt this happy. Andy was the reason for that. Another butterfly fluttered in her stomach. There was more. He didn't only make her feel happy. He made her feel loved.

Loved.

She stared into space, while that realization dawned on her. Mario's hand touching her shoulder startling her.

"Bad conscience, doll? "

Her lips tightened. "I don't like people creeping up on me."

He dangled a room key in the air. "Why don't you go up. I've already spoken to our next little piggy bank. Be agreeable. I believe we'll be able to get a long lasting relationship out of him. The only thing you've got to do is make him want more."

"You've already talked to him?"

Sharon hadn't seen him anywhere near Andy. This wasn't going the way they had planned it. Her mind worked overtime trying to come up with some sort of solution, but she had none at the moment. Last thing she wanted was for Mario to become suspicious. She would just have to count on Andy to come up with something.

Andy saw Sharon's shoulders tense. She hadn't been nervous at all, so it must be something Mario said to her. He dangled room keys in front of her. Like they thought, Mario had arranged a room. From the corner of his eye he saw Sharon take the room key and head towards the hallway.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw a strange man approach Mario. No that would not be happening. It was time to start bluffing.

"Whatever he pays you, I'll pay you more." Andy played cool.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He tried so hard not to look like a cop all week. Had he already aroused suspicion? "I've been looking at that gorgeous lady all week."

Mario could recall that. He had been sitting in the corner every single night for the last week. He'd noticed him, because his eyes had been fixed on her the entire evening. At first he'd believed he could even pose a threat, but maybe he had just been studying her all week, waiting for the right moment.

"She doesn't come cheap."

Andy forced a cocky smile. He would have liked to wring the guy's neck, but he couldn't do that. He drew his wallet from the back pocket of his pants, opening it up, so Mario could see it was stuffed with banknotes. Mario eyed him, silently testing him out, probably trying to determine whether he was blackmail material. Good thing he put his old wedding ring in the leather wallet as well.

"Two thousand. One night."

Andy's eyes locked onto Mario, not reaching for the money just yet.

"Like I said she doesn't come cheap. If you're looking for a fast fuck you go outside to one of the women there."

Without moving his eyes, Andy took out the money. They would already have him there, enabling soliciting. They wanted him for murder though. They'd need more if they wanted to scare this guy into confessing. The tape would give them a search warrant to look for more tapes. Maybe there was still a tape connecting him to Andrea. That was exactly the pressure they needed.

Mario took the money with a cocky smile. "Room three sixteen."

That was indeed the room adjoining Mario's.

"And don't try anything weird. I'm nearby."

He should almost feel touched, if it wasn't that he knew he was only protecting Sharon for all the money she'd bring him. The 'just drinks' had been fine with him, as that gave him the opportunity to parade her around and put her on display. Any man interested had seen her, seen what she was worth. It didn't matter anymore. It would be over after tonight and she would come out of it alright. This time there would be no harm done.

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Sharon paced back and forth in front of the bed. Her eyes were wandering off to the bottle of Champagne each time she passed it. She could use a drink. She had to stay alert though. What if someone other than Andy came up? Her mind was working overtime. What should she do? Should she just go along with it then? Andy would kill her. He had told her not to go up with a stranger. So had the Commander. They had both warned her not to do this at any cost, but she was already in this room. What if a complete stranger would walk in within the next few minutes? Where was she supposed to go?

She should trust Andy. He'd do everything in his power to hold up his part of the deal. Somehow he would manage, he was resourceful, he wouldn't leave her alone with a stranger.

But what if it had been out of his hands? What if he hadn't been able to do anything? She couldn't do this. It was not only dangerous, it was insane. If a stranger came up, there was nothing she could do anymore. She couldn't let some guy touch her… she didn't want to think about what else could happen. Both Andy and the Commander had been right, she couldn't do this at any cost.

Swiftly she turned around, when she heard a hand touch the doorknob. She had waited too long. Her heart was in her throat. She did not know what she would do the next couple of seconds. She released an audible sigh of relief when she saw Andy in the doorway, grinning in his own particular way. She felt like hugging him, like wrapping her arms around his neck and throwing herself in his arms. They would have to keep up their act though. She did not know him, he did not know her. They needed Mario to tape this and he wouldn't, if he got suspicious. There was no way she would go through this again, the tension, the anxiety.

For a moment he felt relieved as he had managed to get in to the room. But what now? He could only hope Sharon would pull him through this, and he wouldn't do anything stupid.

"Hey…"

"Hello there yourself…." She smiled with twinkling eyes.

"I was send up…."

"I was expecting you. Would you like something to drink?"

She was a far better actor than he was. That became clear to him in the last couple of seconds.

"How about I pour you a drink?" Andy walked over to the side table. He took his time to take the glass and the bottle of Champagne. The only sound in the room was that of liquid pouring into the glass.

Andy handed it over to her. His fingers briefly brushed hers, whether to reassure him or her, he wasn't sure. This was already beginning to feel awkward, neither of them knew how to handle themselves - all because they felt watched. Maybe if they could talk more freely, this would be easier.

His hand fumbled with the stereo, his fingers fine tuning the radio to find some good music. He soon found a classical music station.

He knew it was Sharon's favorite music, he didn't care too much about it, the only plus side was that it could be turned on really loud. Sharon smiled as he turned back around.

"Vivaldi."

"Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

She answered him with a smile. She knew he couldn't care less about classical music. The only thing he probably liked about it now was that it was loud. Loud enough that if they would stand near enough to each other, no one would be able to make out what they were whispering. Very smart of him. At least that way they could communicate. It made her feel more at ease. She took just a small sip of the Champagne. She didn't want to be intoxicated, because she planned to interrogate Mario herself. She needed to be level headed, have a clear mind. She walked over to the table to put the glass down.

"Spring."

"Very appropriate don't you think? Isn't spring when new love blossoms."

"Very romantic…"

Was she teasing him at a moment like this? Unbelievable. Andy closed the distance between them. He had to be close to her, if he wanted to be sure Mario wouldn't hear what they were saying to each other. He bend to whisper into her ear.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

His breath was warm on her skin. In a reflex she closed her eyes. His shoulder was so near, so was his cheek, she could almost feel his touch just by the warmth he radiated. Again that flutter in her stomach, his words ringing in her ear. It couldn't be the Champagne, she had only had one sip. It was Andy standing this close to her.

Andy noticed Sharon holding her breath for a moment. Something was bothering her. "You okay?"

His voice was low and warm, the concern so loving. This was not the moment to be suddenly overwhelmed by these complex and confusing feelings. They were supposed to finish this assignment and arrest Mario for murdering Andrea. She should not be having to deal with the fact that she now noticed how Andy made her heart beat faster, how Andy made her feel so vulnerable. This was not the moment to be vulnerable. She had to keep her act together and stay professional.

"Are you nervous? It's going to be okay."

Andy sounded so reassuring. His nose gently rubbed the side of her face. She had to resist the tremble that fought to take control over her limbs. Her breathing slowed. Nervous? No, she could not call herself nervous. In fact despite her heart racing in her chest, she felt awfully calm. It felt like time had slowed, everything around them disappearing. At the same time she felt weak in the knees.

'Concentrate Sharon.'

Her eyes had closed themselves, but she forced them to open.

"It's going to be okay."

His face turned towards her, his lips hovering over her skin. She could almost feel them move. She didn't concentrate on the words, just the movement they made. Why couldn't she concentrate? Why now? Why did this feeling intensify now? Had it been their close friendship? Them living together these last weeks? The situation this assignment caused? No, it was not that. Fact was that this, whatever it was, had seeped in slowly. Whatever it was. Sharon closed her eyes again. She knew exactly what it was. Her heart at least did.

"I don't understand why they're not in here yet." Andy began to sound frustrated.

"Maybe they'll let us sweat a bit, see how we handle the situation."

That was exactly what he was afraid of, the situation. This better not be some prank from their side.

"They better not. "

He counted on Cohen to keep control over the situation, be the adult.

As Andy pulled away from her she saw the stern look on his face.

"Smile."

Her voice was a mere whisper, before she stepped closer, her breasts almost touching his chest. He didn't want to think what was underneath the fabric of that dress. He didn't dare to think about how her creamy skin would shimmer through the lace of her negligee. They were on an assignment and he hoped he wouldn't even get near the point of her undressing herself.

How did he get into this mess? Sharon had pulled him into this assignment. He could not blame her for that though. She had because she trusted him, felt comfortable with him. She could not know he had feelings for her. Maybe if he hadn't kept his feelings to himself? It wasn't fair to Sharon to drop that bomb on her though. Not while he knew it had no chance of developing into a romantic relationship.

"You're supposed to like this."

Her voice was sweet. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable, the whole point of him doing this was so that she would be more comfortable. He had to keep in mind that this was ten times worse for her than for him.

"Sorry, I don't really know what to do."

He knew there was no point in keeping this from her, she'd sense it.

Sharon closed the last distance between them. In the meantime she kept thinking of what to do. As soon as the guys saw Mario taping them, they would put a stop to it. The reason why they weren't in there yet must be because Mario wasn't taping. She entwined her fingers with his. She wasn't exactly sure what she should do either. Maybe they should have done some thinking about this, talk it over, now neither of them knew what to do. Andy squeezed her hand, his hold on it tightening. Before she knew it she leaned into his chest. She needed to be as close as she could possibly be, because she wanted to be sure Mario wouldn't be able to listen in or read their lips or something.

Andy bowed his head, as Sharon mumbled against his chest.

"They're not ending it, because he isn't taping.. Maybe we're not in his camera range."

"What would be?"

Sharon bit her lower lip, locking eyes with him before she looked over from him to the other side of the room. His body went rigid, as he followed her gaze towards the bed, the element in the room that suddenly seemed huge. The element he would love to avoid. That bed meant they neared a border he did not want to cross. It meant he would have to touch her. They could hardly sit down on the bed and read a book or something.

A bed meant a certain level of intimacy he'd only imagined having in his dreams. He could not think about his fantasies. Thoughts like that should not be in his head, especially not at a moment like this, because they made his blood run faster, flowing to his brain and to parts of his body he had no control over. A bit panicked he looked at Sharon turning away from him, never letting go off his hand, guiding him with her. Their eyes met brief before she turned. He didn't know what he was seeing in them. Resignation? Calm. How could she stay this calm? There wasn't a lot of time to over think the lead she was taking. His feet moved following her to where ever she was leading him.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: thank you so much for all the reviews, I enjoyed so much reading them! Also thank you for the favs and follows it's amazing! I know it has been a while since the last update, I had to put it in my daily planner today to get around to posting it. I hope you will enjoy reading the next chapter!**

 **As always a big thank you to glistening sun for all the hard work as a beta. All mistakes left are mine.**

Chapter fourteen

Sharon's thumb caressed the back of his hand. Oddly enough it was very soothing to him. He tried not to think about his heart racing in his chest. He tried not to think about his heartbeat drumming in his head and pulsing in his groin.

Beside the bed she stopped. Their legs touched the mattress. Andy couldn't think long about that ominous presence when Sharon turned towards him. Her fingers were still laced through his. She used the grip on his hand to pull herself closer to him.

Sharon took the lead. It was simply impossible for him to do so. It would have to be her, but he wasn't ready for her to take the lead either. He'd rather not look in her eyes, but those emerald gems captured him. She wouldn't let him go again.

It felt like drowning, like he was in the middle of the ocean unable to stay afloat even though he had his life jacket on, like swimming against the stream, but only getting tired. He was tired, tired of fighting against his feelings, his emotions, his love for her. It was impossible to fight against all that when she looked at him.

He tried to read her, but he couldn't. He believed he saw desire, a flicker of passion. That was an act, right? She tried to make it look real, so Mario would start taping. Yes, that must be it.

Sharon squeezed his hand before her free hand touched his neck. A cold shiver went through his body, although her touch was warm. The back of her thumb caressed his jaw, her eyes never leaving him. As she moved closer the tip of her nose touched his. Their lips were so close they could feel each other's breath. Although his heart was pounding in his chest, his breathing was calm and so was hers. He could feel her breasts slowly heaving up and down, pressed against his chest. Somehow it was calming, until he felt her lips on his, warm and smooth as silk. Gently she captured his lower lip between hers, then slowly releasing it although her lips still lingered near. He looked down, her eyes were closed. As her lips parted again, his heart skipped a beat, her kiss deeper this time.

Andy could feel her inhale, as she sucked again on his bottom lip. Her movements intensified, his lips responding whether he wanted to or not. This was what he had been so afraid for. The moment his body would rule over his mind and he would lose control over the situation. Her hand slowly travelled down from his neck to his chest. He waited for the moment that she would break free from him and end the kiss, but she didn't.

Instead she grabbed his jacket, making a step backwards, before she lowered herself onto the bed pulling him with her.

Not the bed….

Why did she have to kiss him? Why did this have to feel so good?

"Mhm…" Sharon hummed.

He hovered over her on the bed deepening his kiss. She tasted so good. The last thoughts he had about this being wrong disappeared with her next hum. Her fingers laced through his short hair, her arms wrapped around his neck to keep him close to her.

She wanted him as close as possible, so she could connect with every inch of his body. She wanted to feel his heartbeat. She wanted to smell his masculine scent. She loved the perfect mixture of his aftershave and body scent. Andy made her feel safe and whole. She forgot everything around them. It was just him and her, the warmth of his mouth, his hands on her waist, his thumbs slowly tracing her ribs. If there had been one butterfly before, her stomach was now filled with them. A good kind of anxiety bubbled up inside her body. Andy answered her kisses, his body pinning her on the mattress. Not forceful, not dominant, just passionate. It only made her kiss him harder, her breathing heavier, her pelvis moving up and down rhythmically, feeling exactly how aroused Andy was.

Deepening her kiss she missed the door opening. She was so engulfed in this newfound intimacy between them that she only noticed another presence in the room when Andy pulled away from her. At first it was a voice in the distance while she looked at Andy with a confused expression. His face was flushed. She could only hear her heavy heartbeat drumming in her ears. Slowly the voice became more clear. Cohen.

"…. the act. We've got him."

The words barely registered in her mind. The only thing she did was stare up at Andy. 'The act?' Was that it? Had it all been just an act? She tried to recall what had happened, how long it had been. It seemed timeless. From the moment her lips had touched his, time had slowed down. Andy had kissed her back, hadn't he? It hadn't been just her. Their kiss had deepened with each beat their hearts made.

One thing was for sure they had been both overwhelmed by their feelings.

Dazed she looked up at him, pulled from her intoxicated state of mind. Her lips were slightly parted and still wet from both of their saliva. She looked so vulnerable to him at this very moment. Her eyes were filled with emotions. They had both kissed, it hadn't just been him. It had been her and he had kissed her back, that's how it had happened. She had initiated it. Still, she seemed to look at him with so much confusion. Their lips were still close. He could feel her breath, her body slowly moving beneath him.

He was the first to break their gaze. His eyes fell. The sight of her heaving cleavage so inviting beneath him, made him practically leap up. It felt like he was restricting her. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel awkward. He didn't want their relationship to change and turn awkward over this.

Andy avoided her eyes. All of a sudden the mood had turned a hundred and eighty degrees. She bit her lip, turning on her side, so she could roll from the bed. Frowning she scanned the ground looking for her shoes. Apparently she had kicked them off at some point. The silence was deafening. Was she supposed to say something, or should she wait for him to start talking? Where butterflies had fluttered in her stomach before, a cold hard stone weighed it down now.

He didn't know what to say, so instead he lingered near the door waiting for her to join him. Was he making things more difficult for her like this? But what should he say? He couldn't just ignore this, could he? How would she feel? This was a mess. He'd been so afraid that something like this would happen, that it would destroy the easy-going relationship they had.

They had gone from not needing any words at all, to not knowing what went on in each other's minds. It was like all the time they had spend getting to know each other had been flushed down the drain.

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The ride to the station was reigned by silence. He was focusing on the road in front of him, while Sharon was staring out of the window into the dreary night. Outside the sky looked grey and grim. Rain was pouring down, like tears from heaven. How differently had the day started out: sunny, with smiles and laughter. The eerie silence between them made goose bumps appear all over his skin.

Mario was arrested and charged for solicitation, but that should only be the beginning. That was the only good thing about this. They were close to solving this case and Sharon wouldn't have to put herself in danger again. Andy tried to calm himself with these thoughts.

Sharon rested her back and head against the locker, looking up, staring at the little pattern of dots on the ceiling. Not one word had been spoken during their drive over there. She had practically run towards the locker room, once they had entered the building. She wanted to get out of that dress, away from the memories, away from his scent that still clung to her. She couldn't deal with that now. She had to be level headed. They would have to deal with Mario. At this moment they only had him on solicitation. She wanted him to go behind bars for murdering Andrea. She would just have to get her act together. She pulled on the hem of her blouse for a moment believing that if she pulled on it long enough, it would cover her body in the way Andy's shirt had. She loved the feel of his shirts on her skin, to be engulfed in Andy's scent. She even smelled for his scent on his sheets before trying to fall asleep.

In his arms she had slept peacefully, no nightmares were haunting her then. In his arms she felt safe, complete, like she had never felt with any man before.

A sigh escaped her lips. She would have to get some clarity in this mess. Now was not the time though. Swiftly she turned around, opening the door of the locker again, her hand reaching for the black skirt. Her legs were a bit wobbly when she stepped into it. All the commotion had drained her energy. She reached back to close her zipper. Her eyes closed at the sudden memory of Andy's hand on her hip, when he had closed her dress earlier. She bit her lip only stopping when she tasted blood.

Walking over to the mirror she stared at her own reflection. Her lipstick had faded, smeared by their passionate kiss. She wiped the remnants away, cleaned her eyelids and lashes from the excessive make-up. She ran her hands through her hair, smoothing out some of the mess the pillow had caused. She didn't like what she saw in her own eyes. Her mind wasn't where it should be. She needed this case with Mario to be over with, so she could get the far more important answers she needed. And the only way to accomplish that was to get her butt out there and into that interrogation room. Quickly she pulled her hair together tying it into a messy bun.

Andy was slowly beginning to get anxious. Sharon had disappeared the moment they walked in. He felt torn by now. Should he go after her and ask whether she was okay? Okay. What was okay? He for one didn't feel okay. He felt empty, like he'd lost a part of himself tonight.

Mario was already in the interrogation room. He wasn't too sure about what it would bring them. The guy had screamed 'lawyer' the moment Cohen and Zygerski arrested him and read him his rights. His lawyer wasn't one of the court appointed ones either. It was one of those fancy suits. He hated those. The last thing he needed tonight would be to be provoked by one of those asses. That surely wouldn't get him back into Sharon's graces.

Andy took a deep breath. He heard the clicking of her heels, warning him right before Sharon entered. She had changed clothes, probably couldn't wait to get out of that dress, to get away from everything that had happened in that hotel room. Even without the clingy, low-cut dress and make-up she still made his heart beat faster. He now knew how it felt to be kissed by her, to feel her lips on his. He shook his head to get rid of the memory. His focus should be in that interrogation room.

Her pace slowed as she neared him. There was a big fat elephant in the room with them and he had no idea how to get rid of it. Hamilton broke the uneasy silence.

"Elliot. Good job."

The tiniest smile appeared on her lips. It was a sad smile. Her mind was elsewhere and Andy could imagine where it was. He knew her body language well enough to know that she couldn't keep her posture.

"I mean it, without you we wouldn't have been able to bring him in."

Andy stared at the floor. "Don't know what good it will do. He has already lawyered up."

Sharon looked over at Andy, hands in his pockets, staring down, acting indifferent to the world around him. He was clearly nervous about being close to her.

"The two of you will have a little talk with him, see how much he's willing to share." Hamilton looked at his two officers. Elliot nodded, Flynn was still studying the pattern of the carpet on the floor. What was going on with these two? The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. They had better work it out, he needed them to be at the top of their game.

Sharon was the first to walk into the room. The shock on Mario's face was clearly visible. He stared in awe. His attorney smiled though.

"Sharon, what a nice surprise."

She answered his wide smile with a tight one herself, her eyes locking onto his. The vulnerable look from before had completely disappeared and was replaced by two green eyes calculating her move. The corners of her mouth curled, but her smile was far from genuine.

"Jonas, it's been a while. "

"I was sorry to hear Jack and you broke off your engagement."

Andy raised his eyebrow, the guy surely didn't look sorry.

"Maybe we should have a drink at the club, do some catching up?"

Andy's jaw tightened, his back muscles tensing while he clenched his fists.

From the corner of her eye she saw Andy's body tensing up. She couldn't help but smile, he was jealous. So she had been right, he had willingly returned her kiss. It hadn't just been an act. He had true feelings for her. For a moment she considered accepting the lawyer's invitation to tease Andy a bit, but that would bring with it the risk of him losing control somewhere during this conversation. That was the last thing they needed. She wanted to talk to him tonight and she couldn't do that if he had to spend the evening talking to an officer from IA.

Mario looked disgusted. "Are you hitting on her? You're my lawyer, you're supposed to be on my side."

"I can keep business and pleasure separate."

That slick smile of the guy! He was probably one of Jack's friends - or all lawyers were the same. Andy felt the extreme need to wipe it from his face. He needed Sharon to look at him, to calm him. She wasn't though. She was still looking at that slick bastard. He knew it was to either lay out a honey trap for the guy, or she was still desperately trying to avoid him. He cleared his throat.

"So."

"Before you start asking my client any questions: don't bother. He won't talk. We'll only talk to the DA about a deal."

"Yeah, you tricked me, lady."Mario looked angry as he pointed at Sharon.

She only smiled amusedly, raising her eyebrows. Making him more annoyed.

"You certainly looked different before, what's with the librarian outfit?"

Sharon simply smiled. Andy narrowed his eyes though, once again protective. She had always believed that it was just him being protective over her as her partner and mentor. She had never believed he loved her, not until that kiss.

"Why don't we concentrate on why we're here. You had me paying you to go up with her."

"My client was tricked into this."

" We have witnesses willing to testify your client had his business first set up at the Asturion hotel."

Sharon's eyes locked on Jonas.

"This wasn't a onetime venture. I did not approach him, he approached me."

Andy smiled, as Jonas suddenly no longer looked at her as friendly as he had before.

"My client will use his right to remain silent, so he won't incriminate himself."

Sharon put her hands on the table, smiling.

"Fine. If you want to play it like that, we will."

Sharon pushed herself up from the chair and walked to the door. Andy wasn't sure whether this was her way to pressure this guy or a form of her bluffing. He looked just as surprised as the lawyer.

He still did when they met up in the murder room. Hamilton looked just as confused, and even more when he saw Andy looking confused as well. Normally they were a team, partners who didn't need words to communicate. That was what made them so good. Something had already been off before the interrogation. He had noticed it when they returned from the field.

Andy listened while Hamilton asked the question he couldn't ask her, as he didn't dare speak to her.

"Why didn't you continue?"

"Jonas won't let him answer any of our questions. We better focus on getting more proof rather than waste our time in that interrogation room."

Hamilton believed she must have her reasons for being so sure. "You know that lawyer?"

"Yes, he's a friend of Jack's. He's good. If I was his lawyer, I wouldn't let him speak to us either. "

Sharon was probably right. Like so many times. They should find more evidence.

"Do we already have a search warrant?"

"Cohen is on it."

"Do I hear my name, Commander?"

"The search warrant?"

"Wouldn't count on it. Spoke to the DA, Oldman is the judge on call. He's got it in for us."

Andy grunted. The last time he'd dealt with Oldman he had ended up in jail for the night. Some bullshit about being in contempt.

Sharon looked confused from Hamilton to Cohen and Andy. "It can't be that bad. We have the law on our side. I'm sure we'll manage to convince him."

Hamilton sighed. Sharon might be able to persuade the old geezer with her charm. Besides, she still had a clean slate with the man.

"You better go with Cohen. You certainly won't get anything done with Flynn."

Hamilton saw the surprise on her face.

"Last time I send Flynn to the man he was locked up in jail for the night. "

Andy narrowed his eyes. "The old geezer lost his marbles. "

"And that's exactly why he held you in contempt. You go with Cohen, Sharon, maybe we'll be lucky and he'll like the newest addition to our team."

Part of Andy was relieved that he wouldn't have to spend another uncomfortable car ride with Sharon. He could go home. Alone. No uncomfortable goodbyes. Maybe, just maybe things would all have cleared up by morning.

Hamilton pulled Andy aside. "What's going on with you?"

Andy hated Hamilton's scrutinizing eyes.

"What's wrong with the two of you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You aren't communicating. Elliot and you, you aren't talking."

"That's ridiculous."

"No, it isn't. You haven't spoken one word to each other since you got here. You had no idea why she walked out of that interrogation room."

"She could hardly tell them our strategy, could she?"

"It doesn't matter, normally you know exactly what she's thinking. So what the hell is going on? Did something happen?"

Hell yeah. They had kissed and God knows how far it would have gone if Cohen hadn't interrupted them when he did. He had felt her pelvis move up, she must have felt his arousal. He'd lost himself in his passion for her. He had lost every ounce of control over his body. That's what had happened. That's why things were awkward now.

"Don't tell me nothing happened. Both of you are acting strangely."

"Look, I'm tired. Tomorrow's going to come soon enough. "

Andy would not give him any answers. Hamilton just hoped things would resolve soon. He needed them to be at the top of their game.


	15. Chapter 15

**an: it's been a while but I'm sure you are used to that by now ;) thank you for the great reviews they still keep coming and I love reading them! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know you liked it! I hope you will enjoy the next chapter as well.**

 **a big thank you to glisteningsun for helping me as an amazing beta. I learn so much! all mistakes left are obviously mine.**

Chapter fifteen

It was still raining outside. Heavy raindrops were splattering against his windows. The city lights were one big blur. Andy could not sleep. For weeks he had spent his nights on his couch. Tonight he should sleep in his own bed again, but he couldn't. Her scent was all over his apartment. He could only imagine what his bed smelled like. He could change the sheets, but he was too tired. Part of him couldn't anyway, as the longing for her scent was just as strong.

Her things were still everywhere in his apartment. Her clothes, her shampoo, toothbrush, the book she'd been reading. What should he do? Gather everything, put it in a box, bring it to work with him? Would she come for it herself?

Each scenario he could come up with was awkward. How were they supposed to get past this? This was what he had been afraid of for so long, that everything would change between them when he wouldn't be able to control himself.

Tomorrow he would have to face her again. That's why he couldn't sleep now. He couldn't think of anything to say to her.

A dull knock at the door startled him from his thoughts. He knew it could only be one person. He could hardly leave her standing outside the door. Maybe she needed something. His worry for her would always take the upper hand. That's what had gotten him into that hotel room in the first place.

Andy stared at her. Her coat was wet, so was her hair. She had walked through the rain, all alone, in the dark. Just that made him want to pull her inside and tightly wrap his arms around her.

"I still had the key, but didn't want to let myself in. Can I come in?" Her voice was soft, tentative.

"Yeah, sure."

He stepped aside, taking a deep breath, as she walked past him. Andy held onto the door handle for dear life, his mind working overtime trying to come up with something to say. He closed his eyes biting his lip.

"I believed you might possibly still be awake."

He didn't respond. He looked at her being wet, actually dripping on his floor. Without a word he walked to the bathroom, shortly after returning with a thick, fluffy towel.

"Thank you."

Her smile was still kind of sad. He watched her take off her coat. She looked at the couch, at the pillow, the blanket.

"You know you can sleep in your own bed now. The assignment is over."

He couldn't.

"Uhm, do you need some things?" Finally he spoke. Did he really believe she would come over in the middle of the night and through the rain, to get her things?

"No." She dragged out the word, making it sound melodic, locking her eyes onto his, giving him no chance for an escape.

"I believe we should talk, don't you think?"

She made it impossible for him to refuse. And maybe she was right. This wasn't just going to disappear by itself. However, if they were going to have this talk now, he would need a large mug filled with coffee. He walked towards his open kitchen. "Would you like some coffee?"

"No, thank you."

She used the towel to dry her hair a bit. While she rubbed her hair dry, she stepped out of her shoes and walked barefoot over to Andy's bed room. She still had her slippers in there. Andy froze, clutching the counter, as he watched with how much familiarity she moved through his apartment. They were too familiar with one another. Maybe if they hadn't lived together these past few weeks, maybe then he would have been able to keep enough distance from her, emotionally, physically.

There was no sound in the room other that the gurgling sound of the coffee machine. Sharon walked over to the couch moving away the blanket. Pulling up her feet underneath herself, she sat down. It was clear enough Andy wasn't going to start this conversation.

"We need to talk about what happened. It's important."

This was about their feelings, about them. They couldn't just pretend like nothing had happened and continue their lives. This would eat them up from the inside. Had this been a spur of the moment thing? Was there more? God only knew how long Andy had already walked around having these feelings for her. It surely had lingered long enough inside of her, without her consciously noticing it.

What was he supposed to say? He wasn't even sure whether he could lie to her, if she stared into his eyes with those incredible green eyes of hers. Probably not. And she would ask him straight out, no doubt about that.

What if she felt the same? That kiss had been filled with so much passion. Would he be able to deny his feelings for her anyway? Telling himself that he would protect her like that, that she would get even more hurt if he wouldn't. Did it justify lying to her? Would he be able to do that?

Sharon wished he would sit down with her, instead of busying himself with all sorts of other things.

"Would you please stop walking and sit down with me. I can't talk to you like that. "

There was a hint of frustration in her voice. He wished now he had more than just that one couch. He needed distance from her, but it would be weird to sit down on the dining chair. He bit the inside of his cheek, reluctantly sitting down on the small couch with her.

"Andy…"

"I'm sorry."

Sharon's eyes were confused, she parted her lips to speak, but he could not let her. He would have to apologize.

"I'm sorry, I should have kept control over the situation and…"

"Andy, stop it."

He stared at her reaction. Her voice was direct, frustrated, emotional.

"You didn't do anything to me. I was right there with you, Andy."

"It was an uneasy situation. You felt forced…"

"I did not feel forced."

"We had to get Mario taping…"

"I did not kiss you, so Mario would start taping. It just happened. In fact, I wasn't even thinking about Mario and where we were. I kissed you, because I wanted to kiss you and you kissed me back, mister."

For a moment he looked at her, stunned. His shock didn't disappear when she looked deeply into his eyes, her hand reaching out to touch his cheek.

She liked the feeling of his skin underneath her hand. It was a bit rough and somehow that awakened new butterflies in her stomach. Her inner voice finally speaking up, telling her the truth that she did indeed feel attracted to him, she moved closer. Her voice was low. "I wanted to kiss you."

He could almost feel her lips move. She was too close. That warm feeling was already spreading through his body again. His heartbeat was intensifying. She emphasized her words by putting her lips on his. A gentle touch, then a second one, more intense. Both filled with so much love. His stomach dropped. He already felt his own lips responding to hers. This could not happen again. Better hurt her a little now than make a mess out of her in the long run.

Andy pulled away from her and for a moment she was dazed. She frowned confused, while Andy walked away from her. Had she been wrong about his feelings for her? No. Just now he had responded to her kiss as well. He was scared. What was he so scared of?

She turned around to see him standing in front of the window. His hands leaning on the windowsill, his entire body tense. She sighed. She hadn't considered the fact Andy might not be ready for this talk at all. The last thing she wanted was to make him uncomfortable.

"Andy?"

The muscles in his back flexed.

"I better leave. When you're ready to talk about this, just let me know. We need to talk about this, Andy. It won't just go away." She put her shoes back on and grabbed her coat.

Andy only realized what she had said about leaving when she closed the door behind her. Startled he turned towards the door seeing that she had actually left. Oh great.

He was a complete moron. This beautiful woman had just kissed him. The woman he loved more than his life had kissed him and he had just send her out into the pouring rain. He felt like banging his head against the wall. How was he supposed to face her the next day? He had only managed to make an even bigger mess out of this.

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Andy walked into the murder room. Except for Sanders and Dixon no one was around. Part of him was happy Sharon wasn't there either. What had she told him?

'It won't just go away.'

He was afraid that she was right. This wasn't a thing he could ignore long enough for it to disappear. That's what he had been doing for so long now, and the only thing that did happen was that he had made a bigger mess out of things. Sharon was right, this wasn't just going to go away if they ignored it long enough. It would destroy everything there was between them.

Sharon's words had been drumming in his mind since the moment she left.

'I wanted to kiss you and you kissed me back, mister.'

She was so right. He had kissed her back. With passion. She knew he had feelings for her. He hadn't bothered to hide them at that moment. Sharon had tried to tell him she had the same feelings for him and that had scared the hell out of him. It had been scary enough for him to face his own feelings, while he was sure Sharon would never have the same feelings for him. He had been sure she felt nothing but friendship for him, sure that she would never feel more for him. It gave him a headache.

"What are you doing here?"

Andy met Hamilton's frown.

"What? Did I miss the memo stating everyone had a day off?"

"You're supposed to be at the suspects house."

Andy looked confused at Hamilton, standing in the doorway.

"You look awful, Flynn."

"Haven't slept much."

Hadn't Elliot used the same excuse? She had looked even worse. And apparently they still weren't talking to each other.

"Could have called me, Commander."

"I believed Elliot already had."

"Well she didn't, or I wouldn't be here, would I?"

"No need to bite my head off, Flynn. Work out whatever it is, that's going on between Elliot and you. Go get angry with her."

Andy turned around to walk out. The only person he should get angry with was himself. He wondered though why Sharon hadn't called him. Was this how it was going to be? A partner who would not communicate with him? They would not be able to function like this, not as a team.

He sighed. Somehow that still seemed to be the least of his problems. He didn't want to lose her, not as a partner and definitely not as a friend.

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Hands in his pockets Andy walked into the living room. He had learned to use that habit a long time ago. You didn't want to contaminate a scene. Everything had been turned upside down. Andy knew they were looking for the tape or tapes. That was the reason why they had gone through the hotel room spectacle, to get a search warrant for the tape with Andrea on it.

Everyone was quite busy, Sharon giving directions like she owned the scene. Ordering people around, she was the first one to notice him. She stood bend over, her gloved hands halfway inside a box, when she looked up at him. She looked like hell. There were dark circles underneath her eyes. He felt awful. Sensing he had caused them being there.

"Hi."

"Hey. Already found something?" The talking started more easily than he had thought it would be, although it seemed formal.

"No. He hid it well, but we will find it."

She said it in a way that he knew she'd be the last one to leave if she had to. He stared at her. Now he was closer he saw some of the veins in her eyes had popped. He wanted to put his hand on her back, rub it, ask her whether she was okay. Tell her he had never wanted to hurt her. That all this had been about n _ot_ hurting her. It still felt like that elephant was in the room.

"I'm fine."

Great she could still read his mind, while hers seemed to be protected by a thick brick wall.

"You don't look the part."

"Didn't sleep well."

She saw his face fall. She didn't want him to believe it was his fault. Part of it had been the conversation or lack thereof, that they had had, but is wasn't the main reason.

"Nightmares."

He looked compassionately. He knew about the nightmares which kept haunting her. He had held her in his arms, soothed her more than once. If anyone understood, it was him.

"You look like you didn't get much sleep yourself."

"I didn't."

The air was heavy with questions, neither of them asked. This wasn't the place nor the time for this conversation, but it seemed like it was all they could think of. Both of them were a little desperate in trying to occupy themselves.

"Have you already searched outside, or doesn't the warrant include the garage and garden?"

"It does, but I don't believe he kept it there. The humidity doesn't provide good conditions for storing a tape."

Andy sighed. "I don't get why we won't just take some of that guys blood and compare it to the dried blood Nichols found underneath her fingernails."

"We can't take his blood. We haven't got enough to link him to Andrea. Besides, his might be a blood type millions of people have. It won't prove a thing. Maybe in a year of so. They're working on DNA testing. They're just not far enough. So if we get all these little pieces of the puzzle together we'll build a strong enough case. "

"You think like a lawyer."

A small smile curled her lips. She'd been so close to becoming one. Still she was glad she hadn't. By now she found the law a lot more appealing than being a lawyer.

"That makes you a good cop, Sharon."

"Thank you."

Her sad smile was killing him. He had been so afraid of hurting her, but it seemed like he already had. What if he wouldn't be able to make this right? He would have done to her, what he had been so afraid of. Why couldn't he get this right?

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Sharon looked around. She felt like they had searched every little piece of the house. Thinking like a lawyer wouldn't help her much here. She should think more like a criminal, this tape her only source of income until she found someone new to blackmail. So where would she keep such an important possession?

Cohen saw Sharon in the midst of the mess. She was running her hand through her hair for the tenth time or so. It was all messy now. She still had the same determined look on her face from when they had started out this search, but the others were drained. They had searched in every little corner of the house. There was no tape. He looked at Flynn. He should be the one to tell Elliot. He was her partner, but something was off. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. He didn't understand the gloomy look on the man's face either. It had been him, who had been kissing their gorgeous young female team member rather passionately. She might sometimes seem a bit cold, but she was quite a pretty thing. Brains too. Enough of a warning for him to stay away from her, as he had burned his fingers before on beauty and brains - although it had been tempting. He could only imagine how tempting it must be for Flynn. He walked over to him.

"Can't you tell her we're not going to find anything. We've turned the place upside down."

Andy's eyes widened, he limited the speaking to her. He didn't want to look in her eyes.

"Why do I have to be the one to tell her?"

"You're her partner."

Andy shook his head. Cohen pressured him though with the look in his eyes.

"Sharon. Do you believe it's here?"

" It's here."

"I believe we should cut our losses. "

Sharon wasn't ready to give up yet.

"We've looked everywhere."

She knew they had looked everywhere, short of taking out the floor boards. She had even studied the pattern in the carpet searching for anomalies, for any indication there was some hidden space somewhere, but there wasn't. Sighing deeply she sat down on the couch.

"It should be here. We found no evidence pointing to a storage locker. I don't believe he would risk keeping it in his car either. "

Andy knew she was making good points there. Her instinct was normally right. So maybe they shouldn't give up yet.

"It has to be in here."

"Okay. Let's go over the room one more time."

Cohen sighed.

Andy decided to go over the room. "The cupboard. Who did that?"

Zygerski raised his hand. "Nothing in the drawers, no hidden compartments, nothing underneath or behind it. "

"The heating?"

"Would destroy the tape. He's not stupid." Cohen didn't believe this was getting them anywhere. Not even with the solution Flynn came up with.

"No heat resistant box?"

"He's not that smart either, Flynn."

Andy looked anyway.

"Couch?"

"Nothing in the cushions or underneath it, nothing behind it either." Sanders had went over it with precision.

"Side table?"

"Nothing." They began to sound bored.

"Clock?"

"Are we really going over each single item, Flynn? We checked everything out."

"Yeah we are, Dixon."

"There's nothing inside the clock. Look through the damn glass yourself."

Everyone's frustration was coming to the surface.

"The hidden compartment, is there nothing there either?"

"What hidden compartment?" Dixon raised his brows, had Flynn completely lost his marbles?

"That clock looks like the one my grandfather used to have, he stored his whiskey in it. My brothers and I were pleasantly surprised."

Andy grinned while walking over to the clock pulling harder on the bottom as it seemed stuck.

"And here we are. I bet this is the tape we've been looking for. See? You guys need me around."

They raised their eyebrows at his cocky attitude, but he only smiled. He had been lucky to recognize the clock. Finally they had some evidence to make the guy sweat. They'd be able to wrap up this case. Unfortunately once it was solved, he would no longer have an excuse to ignore what had happened between Sharon and him.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: It's been a while like always. First I wasn't doing so well myself and now we have received a health scare in my immediate family.**

 **I don't know how the upcoming weeks will evolve itself. That is the reason why I'm trying to finish updating this story in the next two weeks, so you will at least get to read the end.**

 **Worst case scenario I don't believe I will be around here for some time. And I don't want to leave you hanging, you've all been so kind with your favs follows and reviews!Telling you this I hope you all will be patient with me. There is a part four but with everything going on at this time I don't have the time or the mindset to work on it. It still needs rewroting and beta work so that will take a while.**

 **As always a big thank you to glisteningsun who did the beta work on this part. Any mistakes left are mine.**

Chapter sixteen.

On their way over to the courthouse they hadn't said much. It was awful. He couldn't stand the emotional distance between them. For a moment he believed the solution would be to end their partnership, let their friendship cool down and just distance himself from her. _This_ was already driving him crazy though. He missed her so much.

He just didn't want to hurt her. He was so scared of her getting hurt because of him, that was the only thing that kept him away from her. God only knew how much he loved her, more than he had ever loved anyone. He had believed he loved her enough to keep his distance from her.

Her having developed feelings for him had only complicated things further. Would he hurt her already just by keeping his distance from her? He probably wouldn't damage her beyond repair if he did. That's what he tried to tell himself, that she was strong and would get through this just fine. Maybe in time they would even manage to become friends again.

It was always busy at the courthouse. They rushed through the hallways. Andy couldn't believe how fast she was able to walk on those killer heels of hers. They wanted to get to Mario. He most probably would be released on bail and they wanted to arrest him on those new charges so they could slam his butt back into jail.

Sharon knew exactly which way to go. She had been to the courthouse so often for work or meeting Jack. She didn't want to run into him now though. Jack was the last person she wanted to see, especially not with this mess between Andy and her.

He hadn't spoken to her at all in the car. She had told him to come to her when he was ready, but he was a master in ignoring the obvious. What was wrong with him? What was he so afraid of? If only he would talk to her about whatever it was that was bothering him. She knew him though, he would keep silent, bottle it all up. How was she going to pry it out of him this time? Well, she would just have to give it a thought, after they had arrested Mario. She couldn't wait to wrap up this case and spend a few hours in her own apartment, reading a good book or something with her feet up and a good glass of wine. That sounded like the perfect plan.

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Andy rubbed the space between his eyes, Mario's attorney was giving him a headache. He had acted outraged at the courthouse and he was still screaming murder now.

"This is an atrocity."

Andy couldn't believe how calm Sharon stayed. He felt like hitting the guy already. Maybe that's why people always called him a hothead.

"My client was released on bail."

Sharon kept her voice low, although the man in front of her was raising his voice more with each syllable he spoke. "For the charge of solicitation. We've arrested him for murder."

"That's ridiculous." The attorney's hands made wild gestures.

Sharon seemed not impressed. "The DA believes he's got a case. Seriously Jonas, you better take this up with him."

Jonas sighed. He knew she was right. Deals were made with the DA, not the police department. He'd been frustrated with the wrong person.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you."

Andy raised his eyebrow, the guy seemed to have had a sudden change of heart. He had resigned to not being able to avoid this new arrest of his client and had directed his interests from his client towards Sharon.

His heart was beating faster. The way the lawyer stared at her gave him an uneasy feeling. He tried to control his breathing, tried to ignore how it made him feel. He sat down behind his desk, trying to get the paperwork done, but his gaze kept travelling off to Sharon and that slick lawyer.

Sharon could tell Andy was keeping an eye on both of them and the way they were interacting. He was jealous. The thought almost caused her to giggle. Did he really believe she would be interested in a man like Jonas? She had kissed him the night before. Maybe this was just the little nudge he needed, to come and talk about his true feelings for her.

So she smiled at Jonas, tried to sound as animated as she could. Jonas made it easy. He played the part she wanted him to play. She should feel a bit guilty using Jonas like this. He didn't stand a chance to be honest. He was too much like Jack. Andy should know that too. They had broken up for a reason. She couldn't be the wife he wanted and needed her to be. Jonas was exactly like him. He was looking for someone who would look good on his arm. She wasn't going to be the woman to play that part. Not for Jack, not for Jonas, or any man for that matter.

Andy was so different. He respected her, treated her as his equal, always. He would discuss matters with her. Never thought, or decided for her. With him she didn't feel the need to pretend. She didn't need to think about what she said or did, be afraid she would do something wrong.

Why hadn't she noticed before that she was falling in love with him? It had crept up on her so slowly without her even noticing it. She had been blind to the little signs.

Andy felt a heat rising up in his chest. God, the man was practically undressing her with his eyes. He must believe he had a chance now that Raydor was out of the way. The way he was trying to slime his way in with his smooth talking. He definitely did not deserve a woman like Sharon.

"Later?"

Had she really said later? His heart was beating in his throat. She couldn't be serious!

She was still smiling, when she sat down behind her desk. He had to restrain himself from staring at her. He knew what he would look like then. He would silently demand an answer. He definitely had no right to demand anything from her. He had better get used to this.

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Sharon had left two hours ago, calling it an early night. That wasn't like her at all. Their paperwork wasn't even finished. At first he tried not to think about it, but slowly the possibility of her being with that slick bastard right now began to take over his mind. He couldn't get the picture out of his mind. The thought of her with another man was driving him crazy.

He had thought about the possibility of her someday finding a man she would marry. A nice guy, a decent guy. One who would grant her every wish. One who would make her the center of his attention.

This guy wasn't anything like the guy he had imagined for her. This guy was just another Raydor and he had been so happy when she had gotten rid of him. He could not stand there and watch her walk into another loveless relationship. Fact was, it wasn't up to him. It was egoistic. He was pushing her away, maybe right into this guy's arms.

This was ridiculous. He loved her and he was pushing her away. He was pushing her away, because he was afraid he might hurt her. Maybe she would get hurt exactly because of that.

Who was he kidding here? He wouldn't have liked the guy if he was some bookkeeper or the most perfect man that walked the earth. Because he was in love with her. He didn't want to see her with any other man. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

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Sharon balanced the cordless phone between her cheek and shoulder, while pulling open the refrigerator door. She made a mental note to herself to do some grocery shopping the next day. Maybe she'd get lucky in her freezer.

"No momma, I'm back home. Yes, I'm safe. We've wrapped up the case."

She looked at the frozen brown substance in the white container. She had no clue what it was. Most likely a left over from a Sunday dinner at her parent's house. At least it was something. She closed the door with her bare foot. The food would need some time to defrost, but that didn't matter. By the time she had typed up those last two pages, she might be able to heat it up.

"Momma, I just got something out of the freezer. It's this brown substance. Any idea what it is?"

She poked it a bit before giving up to walk back to her desk and typewriter.

"Momma, I can't, I still have to finish my report. I will, I'm fine really. I'll try to come home Sunday. I know you haven't seen me in a while, I was busy working on our case. Being a police officer isn't a nine to five job, mom. I've missed you too. Give my love to daddy? Bye bye, love you."

Sharon smiled as she put the phone down on her desk. Only two more pages and then she could finally call it a night. She wondered whether Andy was still at the station working. He had definitely looked surprised when he had seen her leave, calling it an early night. She hoped he would finally come to her to talk.

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Andy punched his hands against the steering wheel, another red traffic light. Why did they all jump to red the moment his car approached? He was this far away from exploding. His heart seemed like a time bomb. He had the feeling he was running out of time.

Why did he have to be such a moron? She had kissed him and he had let her go. That had been the moment, his opening to tell her about his true feelings for her. But no, he hadn't said anything because he had been afraid. Afraid for her to get hurt.

What if she got hurt like this? He had never thought about the fact that pushing her away could hurt her too. He had always believed that she would meet a decent guy. He had always believed he could remain friends with her, stay at the sidelines, but he couldn't. Just seeing her with a guy was enough to drive him crazy. He'd been able to control himself, but he couldn't anymore. Not after the way she had kissed him. He would hurt her one way or the other, if he continued like this. He had better come clean.

Maybe he was simply underestimating Sharon. She was a level-headed grown woman. By now she must know him well enough to know that he came with a lot of faults. He should give her a clear picture and then let her decide what she wanted. There wouldn't be any other way. She was too damn stubborn to let go of him now.

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Sharon couldn't believe this report was taking so long. Her mind kept wandering off to Andy. That man clammed up every time things were coming too close, when things were becoming personal. She couldn't really blame him, she wasn't exactly an open book either. She just wished he would talk to her. She didn't understand what seemed so threatening to him now. They were friends, obviously there were also deep feelings involved. She wouldn't do anything to hurt him.

One knock, that was all. She didn't need to hear anymore. She knew it was Andy. She must have been right about him being jealous. She tried to hide her amused smile, as she walked to the door.

That door would soon open, what then? 'Quit thinking, Flynn.' Maybe that was the problem, him thinking too much. He should just act on instinct, do whatever came to mind. He stared at her face, losing himself immediately in her emerald green eyes, that smile curling her lips.

Andy took her face in both of his hands pulling her near. She still looked dumbstruck when he pressed his lips on hers. Sharon closed her eyes, while her own lips captured his, relishing the passionate kiss that was developing between them.

Her eyes snapped open when he released her, as suddenly as he had pulled her close. Both were catching their breath while their hearts were racing in their chests.

Sharon smiled, her eyes dreamy. "Hi…"

"Hey…"

She couldn't stop smiling, Andy kissing her like that was so him. Bold and passionate. The way he looked at her made her feel weak in the knees.

"Not interrupting something, am I?" He sounded a bit too cocky.

"Well, actually…"

Sharon bit her lip to hide her smile, as Andy's eyes scanned the room behind her. The look in his eyes an exact mixture of horror and disgust, his muscles tensing, ready to mark his turf. She didn't care as long as he kept kissing her like this.

Andy saw she was trying to hide a smile. So she was amused by his distress. She knew him too well. She had known exactly what reaction he would have to her talking to that slick guy. He locked eyes with her. Those green eyes were sparkling. Sharon knew exactly how to drag him out. She had wanted him to come talk to her, that was exactly what he had done. Oh God, he would be lost to her.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." She stepped aside. "Would you like something to drink?"

Sharon turned halfway to walk to the kitchen, but stopped when Andy's hand grabbed her forearm. He couldn't let her start some light chit chat. If he wanted to get his feelings off his chest, he couldn't hesitate any longer. He had already waited too long. He couldn't let her give him the opportunity to chicken out of having this conversation, as he knew he would. He had already done on so many occasions.

Andy's eyes suddenly looked so serious. There were a lot of conflicting emotions in them. She saw love, fear, sadness, all combined in those usually warm brown eyes. Her heart was racing in her chest for different reasons this time. His look worried her. Simply staring at him she tried to find a way to connect, to reach into him and just pull out all those feelings he had so obviously bottled up inside. In a way he was looking so sad, afraid. For her? A pang of fear hit her. What if he had come to tell her he didn't share her feelings? What then? Her feelings were so new and intense, they seemed to control her mind. What would that do to their friendship, to them working together? She hadn't realized at all how complicated this could become for both of them. Everything could change. A sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach.

Andy suddenly saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. The last thing he wanted was to make her this anxious. His hand sought hers, gently squeezing it, repeatedly.

"You were right. It's time we talk."

Fear still lingered in her eyes, when she agreed with a nod.

"You need to promise me though, that you will hear me out. Let me finish what it is I need to tell you."

She couldn't shake the fact that his words somehow sounded ominous. Unsure about the stability of her voice she nodded. She bit her lip, taking a deep breath, trying to ignore the flutter of anxiety in her stomach.

"Thank you for being willing to hear me out."

Suddenly her hold on his hand tightened.

"Andy?"

Her voice was a bit shaky, soft, vulnerability seeping through. His thumb stroked the back of her hand, an instinctive attempt to sooth her.

"I need you to promise me though that you'll be honest with me. Tell me everything. That you won't leave anything out for whatever reason you might have cooked up in your brain. I need you to be truly honest. Please?"

The look in her eyes made his heart sink. He was hoping he had made the right decision and that it wasn't inevitable that he would hurt her. This was the least he could do, to be honest with her. That's what she deserved. He squeezed her hand again.

"I promise."

He released her hand so he could take her face in both of his hands pulling her close to his chest. His lips lightly brushed her hair giving her a feather's kiss.

"I promise."

His kiss was so endearing. The only thing she wanted was to wrap her arms around him and stand there forever. His lips were murmuring into her hair.

"You have no idea ..."

His sigh gave her the time to create the distance she needed to pull away and look up at him. In a way it was easier to say the words now that he was staring into the depths of her eyes.

"… how much I love you …"

His voice was so quiet, raw with emotion. The sadness in it worried her. Instead of this bubbly feeling, her heart felt as heavy as a stone.

"I love you too."

Andy wondered whether his voice was sounding as soft as hers, whether his eyes were as emotional as hers.

"I know. That's why we need to talk. I don't want to see you hurt."

Sharon looked baffled. Her eyebrows wrinkled, when she felt how he took her hands into his, his thumbs simultaneously rubbing the back of her hands. The moment felt like forever. Still contemplating his last words she looked surprised when he let go of her hands and walked away from her. The distance he had created felt as if an enormous brick wall had been built between them.


	17. Chapter 17

**An: First of all I would like to thank you for all your kind words and support to the difficult time I'm going through in RL. They really mean a lot!**

 **I've noticed it helps to escape into the Shandy world whenever the anxiety sets in. It helps to read and write. Which means hopefully good news for you.**

 **Also a lot of thanks to all of you who are following this story or me as a writer and been so kind to leave me such wonderful reviews!**

 **A big thank you to glisteningsun for all the hard work as a beta all mistakes left are mine.**

Chapter seventeen

Sharon was holding onto the back of her couch, looking at Andy. He was standing in front of the window staring out into the dark sky. Every muscle in his body was tense. His eyes had looked so dark, when he told her he didn't want to hurt her. The words kept filling her brain. How could he hurt her by loving her? Because that was what he meant, that she would get hurt if he allowed himself to love her. She wanted to tell him how ridiculous it sounded. She wanted to tell him not to worry, because he was making himself crazy. There was no use for him to do so.

But Andy had made her promise that she would hear him out, so she waited for him to talk. Surprisingly he started with a question. "When?"

"When?" Her voice sounded confused.

"When were you starting to feel more than friendship?"

Sharon frowned trying to recall the moment. She remembered that moment when her heart had made a small jump and she had felt as if she was looking into his eyes for the very first time. It was then that she realized her love for him had crept up on her.

"The evening we arrested Mario, when we were still here I guess. I realized it crept up on me. Everything between us had been so easy, so natural. I felt at home with you. It has been that way for quite some time now, but the evening prior to our assignment everything changed. I can't describe it. The feelings were confusing."

"Are they still confusing?"

Did he believe she wasn't sure? Was he afraid to give her his heart, because she might change her mind? Gosh, she would think her kiss must have been convincing enough. "No. I know I love you. I love you more than I'd love just another friend."

Andy nodded without turning around to face her. He didn't seem relieved at all.

"I'm sure, Andy."

He sighed audibly.

"Are you unsure Andy, is that what's troubling you?"

Unsure? If anything, he was sure. No, the time of confusion had long passed. Unlike her he hadn't been experiencing these feelings for a few days only.

"I'm sure about how much I love you, Sharon. God knows I had more than enough time to think about it."

A small smirk escaped onto his lips, because she had no idea just how long he'd been already in love with her. He dreaded to tell her. How would she react? His love for her had been the reason for his divorce. While he had listened to her telling him about her problems with Raydor, he had already been in love with her.

Sharon's eyebrows wrinkled. How long had these feelings lingered inside of him? "So how long have you had feelings for me?"

Her voice was higher pitched than usual. She was only now realizing that he might have fallen in love before she had. He could tell by the tone of her voice that she would be shocked if she knew.

"It wasn't like I simply knew at one point. It slowly dawned on me. I tried to resist it for so long."

"Why?"

"You were still engaged to Raydor."

Sharon's grip on the couch tightened. Slowly she walked around, so she could sink down into the soft comfortable cushions. She would never have thought that he had already loved her for so long.

She knew he cared about her, they were friends, partners, but she had never thought that he loved her like that. He surely hadn't let her notice anything.

She thought about how many times he must have struggled with this. And what about those last weeks? They had lived together for over a month. Had she been that blind? She wondered what it must have been like for him to have her sleeping in his bed, walking around his apartment in only his shirt. How scared he must have been for her.

The air was practically forced out of her lungs, when she realized he'd already been in love with her at the time Landry had tried to make her disappear. She paled at the memory of him finding her. He must have been so scared. No wonder he hadn't stopped looking for her. And when she was shot? Had he already been in love with her then? He hadn't left her side. Jack had. In retrospect the feelings she had seen in his eyes back then, now made a lot more sense.

"I knew I couldn't act upon my feelings. It was too complicated. It wasn't fair to you."

Sharon sighed, rubbing the space between her eyes. It was complicated alright. How hard it must have been to see her with Jack. To worry about her all the time. To not be able to hold her, when he had wanted, to kiss her. For her sake he had denied his own feelings.

"The last thing I wanted was to hurt you. Telling you earlier would have hurt you. I'm not even sure if telling you now won't, but keeping the truth from you surely would."

"Why would it hurt me? Because I was with Jack?"

"You would have felt awkward. You were still in love with him. That's why I tried my best to stay neutral whenever Raydor came up. I really did. You have to believe me when I say, that everything I said to you was without any alterior motives."

Andy was right. She recalled the many times she had spoken with him about Jack, their arguments, her frustrations. He had always been her friend. It would have been so easy to make Jack look bad and influence her already confused feelings. But he hadn't. He had been so selfless. Andy was everything Jack had never been able to be. How could he believe he would hurt her? Everything he did was out of love for her.

"You have to believe that. Raydor didn't deserve you, but you were in love with him. I didn't want to see you hurt."

Now he was turned towards her, the look in his eyes desperate, frantic to make her believe him. In a way he looked so vulnerable, his emotions playing out in his eyes opened the gates to the depth of his soul. It hurt her to see him like this, as his emotions fell over her like crashing waves on rocks. He didn't want to see her hurt.

It seemed like this was the recurring theme. How could she not believe him?One look in his eyes, would chase away any inkling of doubt, if it would have been nagging on her mind.

"Andy, I do know that. I do."

A burden seemed to be lifted off his shoulders. Was that the thing what had been worrying him so much? Had he been afraid she would believe he had deliberately forced a wedge between Jack and her? That was ridiculous.

This normally so level headed man seemed to have his brain patterns all scrambled up whenever she was concerned. The relieve on his face was once again being chased away by whatever it was he was making himself crazy with. The soft smile disappeared. The open look in his eyes was replaced by seriousness.

For a moment he had been relieved. She had been so quick to answer. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he was telling her the truth. She seemed almost appalled that he would believe she'd think that of him. In retrospect he had never thought she wouldn't believe him, because he knew she could tell whether he was telling her the truth or not. And he was. He had been very careful. He had wanted it to be her decision and hers alone. This was just one of the fears that had added up over time. The main issue he had was bigger, weighing so much more.

What was with the gloom and doom look on him? What could be so devastating, so bad for her to learn? What could make her stop loving him? Certainly not something like this. Even if he had made her see that Jack wasn't worthy of her love, she couldn't blame him, because she had been unhappy in her relationship with Jack for a long time. She had just been unwilling to admit that to herself. Andy would have wanted what was best for her out of love for her and not out of selfish reasons, or he would have made advances on her a lot sooner. And even if he had, she couldn't have been angry with him for something like that. It simply made no sense. Andy made her almost burst with this caution of his, his fear to hurt her. She was no porcelain doll, she would not break.

"This was it? Was this what's been bothering you? You were afraid I wouldn't believe you? Andy you had nothing to do with Jack and me breaking up. You've been nothing but a good friend during that time. It's in the past. I've closed that chapter of my life. I'm ready to move on."

Sharon rose from the couch, walking towards him, her eyes never leaving his. Her hand touched his cheek while a soft and loving smile curled on her lips. "I'm ready to move on, with you. I love you, not Jack."

The warmth of her hand burned his skin, the burning sensation of desire. He had never doubted that her relationship with Raydor was over. If he was sure of one thing, it was that. Raydor would never again be a part of her life. Even if he hadn't been sure about that, her kissing him with so much love and depth, should have been able to tell him the truth.

"Yeah, you made that clear enough. If I hadn't known yet, your kiss surely would have been able to convince me."

Her cheeks blushed, her eyes darting away from his cheeky smile. His fingers lightly tipped her chin up. Andy needed her to look at him.

"You love me and I love you. That's not the problem here."

"Then what is?."

"I don't want you getting hurt."

"You can't protect me from all the dangers of this big bad world, honey."

Her smile was so endearing. This was the first time she had called him 'honey'. Her voice even more agonizing than normally, like one of those melodic hums lay underneath. It threatened to hypnotize him, put him under her spell so he would forget about his reservations, his fears.

"No, maybe not, but I can protect you from me."

"From you?" Sharon didn't understand.

"From what I can do to you. What your love for me could do to you."

"Andy."

"No, you promised to hear me out." Andy gave her a stern look. No matter how ridiculous it sounded, she would have to indulge him in this. "You promised."

His gaze was burning a hole in her soul, his eyes so willing. For some reason he believed he would hurt her or their love for each other would. The only way to talk him out of those ridiculous thoughts were to hear him out.

"Alright."

Andy nodded a few times, as if he was calming himself down, soothing himself with the knowledge that she had agreed to hear him out.

He turned away from her again. He definitely did not want to see the look in her eyes, when he told her about the real reason for his divorce. He swallowed, not knowing exactly how to start.

"I already had fallen in love with you, without even realizing it. I liked being with you. I believed it was because we worked so well together. We were partners. You're supposed to be close. Fact was though I felt attracted the moment I looked at you. So damn gorgeous."

Sharon's eyebrows wrinkled in surprise. The first time she had met him he couldn't have been more annoying. He had been irritated using each opportunity to rub her the wrong way. He had sure managed to fool her!

"There was something in your eyes. You definitely wouldn't let me scare you off. You wouldn't let me bully you. Played hard ball. Man, you were one tough gal. You were self confident enough to talk back to me. You weren't just a pretty face. You were smart, you had wit, you were definitely more competent than most of the guys I'd ever worked with. I liked that. I liked that a lot."

He had been hard on her for a reason. He had wanted to test her, see whether she could take the pressure. His respect for her had grown every day. Thinking back, after a while he hadn't been quite so annoying anymore.

"That it was more than just simple appreciation, or us being partners took me a while to figure out. After our first case together, after the danger you had been in…the thought that you could possibly transfer… I didn't want to lose you. Believe me I almost drove myself crazy overthinking these feelings I had for you. Telling myself that it was just because we were close, because you managed to read me like an open book. Telling myself that I shouldn't have these feelings for you. You never gave me any reason to. You were engaged to Raydor. You were going to marry him. I would only complicate things."

Sharon bit her lip. That had been so long ago. Two years? Their first case seemed ages ago now. She surely felt like it was a lifetime away. She had been so young then with her naïve look on the world, on men. She wasn't anything like that girl anymore.

"So you kept quiet."

"It wasn't fair to you."

Sharon took the few steps backwards it took for her to sit back on the couch, closing her eyes. She needed the support underneath her. He had been burdened with these feelings for so long, forced to keep them all to himself, because he hadn't wanted to make a mess out of her life.

"You didn't share my feelings. It was my problem and my problem alone. I never meant to burden anyone else with them - or destroy lives."

There was so much agony in his voice that it cut right through her heart. How could she have missed this pain inside of him?

"That's what I do Sharon, I destroy lives. I don't want to destroy yours."

She was choking up. What was he talking about? How could he say something like that?

"You don't… You don't…"

He closed his eyes when he heard the tears in her voice. She was in pain for him. She cared so much about him. Back when he was still drinking he had seen that pain in her eyes, whenever he told her about how much he missed the children. Just caring for him was already causing her so much pain.

"I do, Sharon. I love you too much for that to happen to you. I love you enough to let you go. It might cause you pain now, but in the long run it will be better for you."

"Better?" Her voice now high pitched, aghast, shaky with emotion.

"How is that better?"

Andy who was now back at the window tightened his hands around the windowsill, like he could crush the cold hard stone with his fingers. A deep frown appeared between his eyes, when he clenched them shut wishing he could shut out her emotions, her anger that was seeping through now. He could have known. Sharon wouldn't just simply accept whatever he said. She wouldn't just walk away, stay quiet, ignore him for as long as it took to make this problem go away, like Sandra always had. She would force him to talk for as long as it took for her to understand.

Her heart was beating in her throat, loud and frantic. Whatever it was that was haunting him, she wouldn't just let him decide that all by himself. She didn't care what he might believe he'd do to her. It was ridiculous. She wasn't blind - by now she knew Andy Flynn with all his good sides and all his faults.

This was not happening. She wouldn't let him shut her out just like that. She would yell at him if she had to, argue all the way, until she understood. They would communicate and they would work out whatever it was he had developed in that brain of his, whatever was haunting him. Whether he wanted to or not. This love they felt for one another was too intense to ignore, to be set aside just like this. Not for anything in the world. Whatever it was, they would work it out. This love was worth fighting for.

"How's that better?"

Her voice was steadier. In the reflection of the window, Andy saw her walking towards him. He could not look in her eyes.

"Andy, look at me. How's that better?"

He stood frozen, unable to move. He was registering her anger and her pain, but was unable to do anything about it because he simply couldn't face her. He couldn't look in her eyes, or he would give in. He would kiss her, do everything to make the pain go away. That wasn't what was best for her though. She had to hear what he had to say. She had to learn how poisonous he could be for her. She had to get to know the ugly sides of him, so she would know what she got herself into. She had to know before she would lose herself in him and there would be no way back without getting any deep scars on her soul. He owed her that much.

 **Sorry for that ending but I couldn't resist it ending here. I promise you won't be disappointed in the final chapter.**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Last chapter finally. Just last week one of you reminded me that it's been years getting to this point and I never really realized that. So I'm very grateful to have so many faithful readers and I hope to welcome you back for part four. I just don't know yet when that will be could be soon, it could take a while. The one good thing this horrible situation brought me is that I'm able to escape in writing. I don't know what the RL future will hold in store for us. In this time of uncertainty, it is like being in a rollercoaster called life. I'd like to thank those of you who have been so kind and supportive, you know who you are. Thank you for all your favs, follows and amazing reviews, they all warmed my heart.**

 **I know I let you all wait so long for this moment. It was kind of scary to write it and I really really hope it lives up to your expectations.**

 **Thank you glisteningsun for all your hard work as a beta. All mistakes left are mine.**

Chapter eighteen

Andy felt her body heat radiating behind him. Her exhilarated breathing pattern was visible in her reflection in the window. As her hand touched his forearm and grabbed hold of it an electric pulse shot through every nerve in his body.

"Look. At. Me." She spit out the words while her hold on his wrist became stronger, forcing him to look at her, to meet with her wounded green eyes. The raw emotions made his intestines knot themselves and weighed down on his stomach. Sharon had given him no other choice. They would have this talk, and they would have it now. He would have to stay strong. Him giving into his needs and his feelings was the last thing she needed.

"Now look me in the eyes and say that again."

His heart sank. How could he tell her like this, that it was better if they wouldn't be together? He couldn't, not when he was seeing all that pain, not when he was seeing exactly how much she loved him. The point of it all was to make her see the importance of why he wanted her to see the truth, to see the real him and not the image tainted by her newly developed romantic feelings for him.

"I destroy people."

She knew it. He could not look her in the eye and tell her that in the end this would better for her. He hadn't even been able to convince himself of that. How in heaven's name did he believe he would be able to convince her then?

"You don't destroy people. That's ridiculous, Andy Flynn."

"I destroyed my children's lives!"

Her eyes widened at his sudden outburst, the significance of his words dawning on her. She could not allow him to think that.

"No, you didn't! You divorced their mother. That happens. Sometimes love just isn't enough anymore. You weren't alone in that marriage, Andy. Sandra is the one keeping your children from you. That isn't your fault, do you hear me?!"

"She knew!"

A confused frown appeared between her eyebrows. The fire in her eyes from just a few seconds ago, was now covered by the hazy look of utter confusion.

"Sandra knew that I was in love with you. That's why she walked out on me. That's the reason why she wanted to divorce me."

Sharon felt as if she had gotten hit in her face. Her meeting with Sandra was playing out like a movie in her mind. The look in the woman's eyes when she had introduced herself. The way she had behaved with such hostility when she had addressed the children. The children. This was her way of getting back at Andy. The realization that Sandra was punishing Andy, because of his love for her caused her to stumble back.

"That's why she's punishing you. That's why she's keeping your children away from you."

Her voice was suddenly soft, hardly more than a whisper, the deep frown between her eyes indicating some form of shock. Was she still speaking to him or to herself?

"Because of me.. because of your love for me."

She paled and for a moment he thought she would pass out . The dazed look in her eyes, as if someone had hit her very hard in her face. She was blaming herself. Guilt was the last thing he wanted her to feel. She couldn't do anything about this.

"No, Sharon."

This time it was Sharon who avoided looking at him, hiding her shock and her pain. There were so many emotions in her now moist eyes. Gently touching her jaw, he made her look back up at him.

"No, not because of you. Not because of you."

He seemed to be hurting for her, his voice trembling slightly. He felt frustrated not knowing how to continue. He was ashamed by what had happened.

"Sandra was hurt, because of something I did."

Letting go of her he turned back around. What could be so bad that he couldn't face her? His shoulders were weighed down by whatever was burdening him.

"Our marriage had already begun to fall apart before I met you. Even before we came to L.A. We got married, because we were madly in love. We were so young then. Too young. My mother told me to wait, to not give into puppy love, that it wouldn't last. And she was right. I would not give in to Sandra's needs. She wouldn't give into mine. Neither of us was ready for compromise."

Sharon knew how important compromises were. That's what had destroyed her relationship with Jack as well. Neither of them had been willing to give in. If she had married him, they would have drifted apart just like Andy and Sandra had.

"Children weren't the answer either. They weren't the glue that could keep us together. When I met you, Sandra was nothing more to me than the mother of my children. In retrospect I believe she had already contacted a divorce lawyer, as it all happened too fast. She left so suddenly and the reason for her being so angry was because I had given her false hope. Probably made her feel used by me as well."

Andy stared at the floor. Ashamed. Why was he ashamed? What could be so bad he could not tell her? Slowly she approached him, tentatively reaching out, her hand briefly hovering over his shoulder blade before she touched him. His muscles tensed at her touch.

"Andy? There isn't anything you can't tell me."

Her voice was so soft and soothing, her thumb slowly moving back and forth over the fabric of his shirt. He had to tell her and come clean.

"Do you remember that day, in the locker room, when I saw your bruises?"

Sharon swallowed. Landry was still too fresh in her memory. He had attacked her, tried to put some fear into her.

"Hm-mm."

She knew her voice would be too unstable to speak. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel guilty for bringing back bad memories.

"When I came home that night I couldn't get you out of my mind. The sight of you… your…"

He had seen her in her underwear that day. She could imagine what that had done to him, already longing for her, fighting his feelings for her for so long.

"Sandra turned and noticed how…"

Sharon bit her lips. He had been aroused thinking about her.

"She believed… I needed to… I thought of you while… I'm so sorry… You must feel so disgusted now."

Sharon sighed deeply and rubbed his back.

"No…"

He whirled around, not believing her, suddenly feeling the need to look into her eyes and see her true feelings, although he'd been so afraid to face them before. But all he saw was acceptance. She was not shocked at all.

"I used you. I thought about you while I had sex with my wife. I hadn't touched her for so long. I used you. "

"You were aroused, because you couldn't fight your feelings for me anymore, because you had seen too much. That's natural…"

He frowned in confusion. How could she be so callous about this?

"Sharon."

"What?"

"I, well…"

"Oh my gosh, you think I'm a prude girl who doesn't know much about men and their urges, don't you?"

He could tell she was suppressing the need to giggle.

"This is serious, Sharon."

"Andy… I can imagine why Sandra was angry, why she behaved the way she did when she met me, but…"

"She must have connected the dots."

"Probably, yes."

Andy stared at her. She was awfully calm. He had expected her to be hurt, at the very least shocked, disgusted. Instead it seemed like she had just simply accepted it as fact.

"Look Andy, I can understand she felt used, why she was so angry. I would have felt the same way. But your marriage was long over. You developed feelings for me, because the love for her was gone, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"Stop punishing yourself, Andy. You've already been punished enough. Both of you were involved in the demise of your marriage. Honestly? I believe it would have ended in one way or the other whether you had met me or not. This was just the spark lightning the fuse."

For a moment he only stared at her, losing himself all over in her eyes, simply feeling at peace. That was what this love did to him.

"Don't feel guilty. It wasn't all your fault. I hate how she is using those innocent children to get back at you. They're the victims in this mess."

A blanket of guilt draped back over his shoulders. She knew he was afraid. It was time he began sharing that burden. Time he talked about his feelings, his fears, instead of repressing them and trying to figure them out all by himself.

Sharon touched his cheek, smiling gently, while she caressed his slightly gruff skin.

"Your children love you. They'll always know how much you love them. They'll see it in your eyes. They'll know you fought hard for the time you spent with them. They'll grow older and they will understand, as long as they see all the effort you put into being the best father you can be."

Andy covered her hand with his, a small smile lingering on his lips. She was so damn special. Always knowing exactly what words to say. He frowned, his gaze intensifying.

"I love you so, so much."

A huge smile appeared on her lips. Her gaze never broke, while she closed the distance between them, guiding his face towards her. One last intense look while she parted her lips. The moment her lips captured his, his eyes closed. He was losing himself in the movement of their lips. The perfect amount of tension in each touch. Each movement lingering, making time stand still.

It was Sharon who broke this kiss, her nose brushing his while she inhaled his scent.

"You should have told me sooner."

"I couldn't."

"You must have been so afraid… when Landry…when I was shot…"

"Because I was drunk…"

"You quit drinking for me…"

"I'll never drink again. When I held you in my arms… The thought that you were hurt because of me..that you could die because of me."

"But I didn't. I didn't die. Stop thinking about what could have happened."

"I began drinking, because I couldn't talk to you about Sandra leaving, about the real reason why she left. I shouldn't have. I should have sought help."

"And you did. That's the only thing that matters. You could have told me though when Jack and I separated."

"No, there were still some things you had to figure out by yourself."

Part of her knew he was right. Separating from Jack hadn't been easy. Dealing with so many unresolved feelings, trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted. Andy had let her figure out her needs before burdening her with the additional pressure of his needs. He had allowed her to find herself. She should be grateful to him for that.

"I needed you to be sure of what you wanted. And I was afraid."

Her eyes were burning a hole in his soul. This scrutinizing gaze that allowed her to look straight into his mind.

"You still are."

Sharon shook her head. What more would she need to say or do to make it clear to him that she loved him and now those feelings had awoken with such strength, they wouldn't easily disappear. If they even ever would.

"I'm afraid I'll hurt you one day."

"Hm-mm. I'm sure you will."

Andy looked shocked.

"Just like I'll probably do something to hurt you."

Sharon smiled, as he shook his head. He was so cute, having this image of her being the most perfect woman walking the Earth.

"You have this tainted image of me, like I'm some sort of Saint with this aura of innocence surrounding me. Let me tell you, Andy Flynn, I most definitely am not. If you believe I could never say or do anything to hurt you, you're in serious denial, honey."

She raised both of her eyebrows giving him this look that made him admit there was some truth to that.

"You believe I never hurt Jack?"

Now it was Andy's turn to raise his eyebrows.

"You believe he must have had it coming."

"Yeah well, he's kinda an ass."

"He can be. Doesn't mean I've never been unreasonable. I have. I yelled at him, argued with him, said the words I knew would hurt him the most. All being justified at that moment, while you're in the heat of the argument. Knowing that some things weren't only said in the heat of the moment, but as a deliberate, calculated move to inflict as much pain on the other as possible. And of course you regret it then, but what's been said, has been said. You can't prevent that from happening when you know your partner too well."

Andy looked horrified. He didn't want to believe her. He wanted to believe that in the perfect relationship you wouldn't do these things.

"Do your parents love each other, Andy?"

"Yeah a lot. Great marriage."

"Do they never argue?"

"Of course they do. Irish and Italian temperament."

"My parents don't have temperaments. They love each other very much, but they also argue. They say things that hurt the other. What matters though is that they'll keep talking and think about how the other feels. As long as we'll keep talking we'll be fine. "

His eyes were drawn to her, focusing as she touched his cheek.

"We will be…"

Andy bend down to wrap his arms tightly around her, pulling her close and almost crushing her against his chest, while he inhaled the scent of her shampoo. Sighing deeply, he knew there was no way he could fight his feelings for her any longer. There was no use in deluding himself that he could.

"Do you know why Sandra and you didn't work out, or Jack and I for that matter? We were unwilling to make compromises. You know Andy, it wasn't all Jack. It was me just as much. I could have compromised if I had really wanted to, but I didn't. And neither did he."

Sharon held on to him more tightly.

"As long as we keep talking, understand each other's feelings we'll be okay, Andy. We didn't fall in love with one another from one moment to the next. We truly know each other, the good and the bad sides. We accept each others' faults."

Andy kissed the side of her head, burying his nose deeper into her hair.

"No matter what you keep saying you remain perfect to me, hon. I don't have a clue to what faults you're talking about."

A huge smile appeared on his face, when he felt her shake with laughter in his arms. He loved to hear her laugh. There was a carefree lightness to it that made him incredibly happy.

"I should tape this, so I could play it back to you during our first argument."

Andy pulled back to look into her eyes, those amazing sparkling emerald green eyes.

"I will never stop loving you."

Andy could tell she was choking up. Unwilling to see her cry, happy tears or not, he initiated a kiss. This time he wasn't holding back, breathing her in, tasting her with each movement his lips made, pulling her as close as he could. His hands were tangled in her hair. He felt her heartbeat until they were magically in sync. All his fears, his doubts were chased away by this love he felt for her, which was more intense than any feeling he had ever had. It was as if he had been searching for the last piece of the puzzle for so long and now had finally found it. He was complete, at ease, peaceful - as if he had died and gone to heaven.

This love would last forever.

 **En: this ending probably says it all. When I wrote this, I wrote it in a way so it would be a nice ending for all of you readers. A happy end, time to stop posting, because I knew in my mind where this story is heading and I know many of you won't understand that at all. But as I continued to keep writing, and read how much you all like this world I created, I decided that this part won't be the last part to share with you. Simply because your reviews are kind of addictive. I'm not ashamed to admit that. I can give you part four and five and once again give you a happy end.**

 **After those parts the story will get very angsty and will head towards some of the canon storylines. I understand that many of you would might begin to hate the story then. Might have wished I ended it at part five and simply left it there. So I've been struggling. Because this all started out originallly with the idea of weaving in some of the canon storylines and as much as I like sharing this story with you all I don't want to change it, or use it for another story to post out here, because it has been originally intended to be part of this one. I did really a lot of thinking even considered continuing it without the canon parts I had intended to weave in, but then it's simply not Shattered images anymore.**

 **So there is more after part five, a lot more, years more ;). And I would be willing to post that if there are readers amongst you who will have enough faith in me that I can make it all okay again and that our favorite couple needs to face these struggles to eventually end up in a stronger relationship. I would post those parts with a warning so none of you who wants to leave it at part five will acidently read it.**

 **I don't know when part four will be up, because of everything that has been going on but I will share part four and five with you in the ( hopefully immediate) future...I hope you will all still be around then because writing on this little world I've created has been so much more fun since I've been sharing it.**

 **I guess some of you will be disappointed with part three ending with just a kiss and nothing more, I'm sure you know what I mean. I just don't believe Sharon is the kind of person who will immediately take that next step, no matter how in love she is. We will get there in part four, so a bit more patience. What's new there?;)**

 **I hope until soon...**


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